Judge Rafael Alcón falls, who was protected by a senior ex-magistrate

 The judicial authority was apprehended yesterday morning and is accused of malfeasance for setting femicide Richard Choque free in 2019. According to Lima, the official committed four serious irregularities.

Judge Rafael Alcón - who gave house arrest in 2019 to Richard Choque, murderer and serial rapist - was apprehended yesterday morning. The Minister of Justice, Iván Lima, said that this judicial authority received protection from his brother: the former Minister of the Judiciary Gonzalo Alcón.

 "He had protection from the Council of the Judiciary that also appointed him and he was never evaluated on his performance, an evaluation of the serious irregularities that were being carried out was never made," Lima said yesterday and described this fact as "abnormal."

“It is inadmissible that a prevarication of this magnitude would have passed through the Judicial Council, which has a structure that receives millions of Bolivians from taxes. (…) Clearly there is a structural impunity that we are not going to allow,” said the minister.

Lima asked the Judicial Council for Alcón's dismissal. "This judge joined Luribay, he had a poor performance with permanent complaints, sanctions and disciplinary processes that never materialized due to a fact that we must also denounce," he said.

Judge Rafael Alcón is the brother of Gonzalo Alcón, who was dismissed in July 2021 from the position of counselor because a constitutional chamber considered that he incurred in incompatibility by having relatives working as judges. That decision was ratified by the Constitutional Court in ruling 681/2021.

In the case of the murderer's release, Lima said that Judge Alcón committed -at least- four irregularities. The Government announced that other officials involved in the case will be investigated.

“We announce to the country that the criminal execution judge (Rafael Alcón) was apprehended and is accused of malfeasance for having released the femicide Richard Choque. This fact -which shocked the country- will not go unpunished”, said the Minister of Justice.

Choque kidnapped and murdered a young woman in 2013. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison without the right to pardon. In December 2019, Alcón signed the resolution that gives the femicide house arrest for 18 months.

The judge justified the measure because the defendant had gastritis and diabetes, and also reported good behavior in the San Pedro prison. He indicated that the Prosecutor's Office and the family of the young woman murdered in 2013 did not object.

As the first irregularity that Judge Alcón committed, Lima explained that it was a conviction “without pardon” and “there was no possibility that Choque could leave the San Pedro or Chonchocoro prison for a single day, where he was taken to serve his sentence. ”. For this reason, the judge is accused of prevarication.

The second irregularity refers to the medical condition. "He alleged that (the femicide) was in a situation of terminal illness and this possibility is inadmissible because none of the diseases was in the terminal stage," explained Lima.

The third irregularity refers to the process times. The murderer submitted his request for house arrest on December 24, 2019 and the release order was issued on the 27th, when the process lasts at least one month.

As a fourth irregularity, the defense of the first victim reported that they were not notified, although the judge's decision indicates otherwise. Lawyer John Tapia Soliz explained that he found out about the case through the media. "As a defense, we do not know the reasons why he got out of jail."

The prosecutor of the department of La Paz, Wiliam Alave, said that the work of the Public Ministry concluded when the sentence was obtained. “(...) Compliance with a sentence and monitoring of periods of detention correspond to the judge of criminal execution and the penitentiary system,” he explained.

Lima added that, without defending the Public Ministry, "it is not known if the Prosecutor's Office, the complainant or relatives were notified."

The president of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), Ricardo Torres Echalar, filed a complaint against Alcón. “We are shocked, worried and even fed up with what is happening in the Judicial Branch (…) The TSJ is going to file a complaint against Judge Alcón for the crimes of malfeasance, breach of duties and resolutions contrary to the Constitution and the laws” , He said.

Lima added that “all” the people who have to do with the murder file that was registered in 2013 and the 30-year prison sentence against Richard Choque in 2015 “will be investigated.” "It is not admissible that between 2015 and 2022 they have not responded to the victims of the case," said the authority.

He indicated that the doctor who issued the certificates "will be brought to justice." He explained that he will investigate why the social worker did not carry out the controls every three months and why the file was not sent to the natural judge who was in El Alto.

Two other workers were crushed to death in the Cerro Rico mine

 When we are still in January, there are already nine miners who die due to industrial insecurity in the cooperatives. 

When we are still in January, there are already nine miners who die due to industrial insecurity in the cooperatives.

Two workers are added to the list of dead miners in the mining deposits of Cerro Rico de Potosí. There are already nine deaths due to instability in the sinkholes in 26 days of this administration.

The departmental deputy commander of the Police, José Luís Assaf, confirmed the death of the 30 and 40-year-old workers in the mine that is exploited by the Compotosí Cooperative.

The lifeless bodies were rescued by their own co-workers and taken to their homes for funeral rites.

After completing their tasks, the two miners left the tunnel but were surprised by the detachment of a slab.

They confirm to carry out the Oruro Carnival 2022

 After more than two hours of meeting between the Ministry of Culture, the musicians and representatives of the folk groups, together with the Departmental Health Service, the Oruro Carnival 2022 was confirmed, an activity scheduled for February 26 and 27. .

The president of the Departmental Federation of Bands and Professional Musicians of Oruro (Fdbmp), Pedro Jallasa, confirmed last night that an agreement was reached for the celebration of the festivity organized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

“Thanks to the authorities and the organizers of the Carnival, a good agreement has been reached to carry out a Carnival with responsibility and health. As musicians, we are going to comply with the biosafety protocols,” the representative of the Oruro bands told La Patria.

Despite the fact that a day before the governor of Oruro, Johnny Vedia, evicted the holding of the event for being untimely, yesterday the minister Sabina Orellana, the Association of Folkloric Ensembles of Oruro (ACFO) and the Fdmpo made an epidemiological balance with health personnel, after which they ratified that the pilgrimage to the Virgen del Socavón will take place, as well as other alternative activities such as the Band Festival that takes place a week before Carnival Saturday.

From the ACFO they reported that this Thursday they will make an official announcement in this regard.

The last time the pilgrimage to the Socavón was made was in 2020, a few weeks before the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, the activity was completely suspended as well as the first treat for Carnival 2022 scheduled for December 5, all due to the increase in coronavirus cases in the country.

Carnival is the most important activity in the city of Oruro due to the great economic movement that it displaces.  

President of Peru raises citizen consultation on the sea for Bolivia

 The president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, opened up the possibility of carrying out a citizen consultation so that Peruvians decide if that nation grants access to the sea to Bolivia, although he clarified: “I am not saying that I am going to give the sea to Bolivia. ”.

“We will agree, we will consult the people, for that we need the people to express themselves (…). What would happen if the Peruvians agree?” Castillo said in an interview with the international network CNN.

Interviewer Fernando del Rincón touched on the subject by asking the Peruvian president about the support he expressed for the maritime claim at an event in Bolivia.

The Peruvian Head of State admitted to having shouted "sea for Bolivia" on one occasion in 2018, when he participated in a union event in the country, reported La República.

"I did not say it as president, it is an idea," the president clarified, however, at the journalist's insistence.

"And if it depended only on you?" Del Rincón asked him and Castillo replied: "I owe myself to the people, I would never do things that the people do not want."

In the interviewer's opinion, the Peruvian President "thinks that Bolivia should have access to the sea." Castillo responded: “I am not saying that I am going to give the sea to Bolivia.”

Bolivia and Peru allied against Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-1883). At the end of the war conflagration, Bolivia was left without a coast.

In 2013, La Paz went to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to demand that Santiago negotiate an exit to the Pacific Ocean in good faith, but the court ruled against it.

Dávila goes to prison, but not for drug trafficking and they anticipate that he will not be extradited

 Dávila va a prisión, pero no por narcotráfico y anticipan que no será extraditado

The first Anti-Corruption Judge of La Paz, Elmer Laura, ordered yesterday the preventive detention of the former director of the Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (Felcn), Colonel Maximiliano Dávila for the alleged crime of legitimization of illicit profits, and not for drug trafficking, as He is indicted in a court in New York, USA. The Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) ruled out a possible extradition of the former anti-drug chief of the Evo Morales government and the opposition sees that there is protection so that the police officer does not involve others.

According to the judicial decision, the former police chief must serve six months in prison in San Pedro, because there is a probability of authorship of the crime he is accused of, in addition to the risk of escape and obstruction. The defendant's defense appealed that determination.

According to the prosecutor's complaint, the former police chief made suspicious bank movements and registers several motorized vehicles in his name. In addition, he has three assets and a heritage of more than one million Bolivians. It also mentions Dávila's relationship with former major Omar Rojas Echeverría, accused of international drug trafficking.

A few weeks ago, the accusation issued by a New York court against Dávila, Rojas and others for drug and arms trafficking, based on the investigation of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), between 2019 and 2020, became known. Jorge Roca Suárez, alias Techo de Paja, was also identified as the leader of the organization, who was arrested in Peru on March 9, 2021, as was Rojas in Colombia. The US justice requested the extradition of both, a process that is in the conclusive phase.

Asked why Dávila is not being investigated for drug trafficking, Police Commander Jhonny Aguilera said that it is the task of the Prosecutor's Office to define what facts are going to be investigated and the classification of crimes.

"I do not know the activities carried out within the Felcn, I do not know if there is or is not an investigation, because, of course, the characteristics of these operations or these activities are linked to secrecy and secrecy, it would be unprofessional for they will expand on what activities they are relating,” said Aguilera.

In this regard, Ariel Góngora, lawyer for drug trafficker Pedro Montenegro, ratified what his client left written in a letter, before being extradited to Brazil for drug trafficking, where he alleges that the Bolivian justice will not hold Dávila accountable for his crimes, but the DEA you will know what to do with it. "Since there is a report from the DEA, in the state of New York, where if he has an indictment for drug trafficking and arms trafficking, then I believe that in Bolivia he should also be investigated for that crime," said the lawyer.

And faced with a possible request for the extradition of Dávila to the US, MAS senator Félix Ajpi said that the former police chief must be tried in the country and his extradition is not appropriate.

“To say that he handed him over, that is totally irresponsible, those of the opposition are anti-patriotic, I tell you that very clearly, I am not defending, nor do I know Dávila, but if he has these irregularities, crimes he has committed, he must be punished here, as it corresponds, but less to hand it over to another power”, he indicated.

Instead, the deputy of the Citizen Community (CC) Alberto Astorga pointed out that the MAS wants to try Dávila in the country to protect former president Evo Morales, who had "a close link" with the officer.

"If it had not been the intervention of the DEA, these drug police would have continued to operate in the country (...) We are sending a communication to the Attorney General of the State, Juan Lanchipa, so that the investigation into former President Evo Morales, his ministers , because clearly Dávila was a trusted man of Evo Morales”, he pointed out. He noted that it should be investigated who supplied coca to drug traffickers.

Covid-19 cases decrease in seven regions

 The Ministry of Health reported this Monday that in the third epidemiological week of 2022 (January 16 to 22), 61,158 cases of Covid-19 were registered nationwide, constituting a reduction of -21% compared to the previous period.

There are seven departments that show a reduction, while La Paz and Pando reported an increase.

"For this week we report a 21% decrease in cases, meaning 16,080 fewer cases compared to the previous week where we reported 77,238 cases and for this week 61,158, it is the first week after 16 consecutive weeks of an increase," said the official. Minister Jeyson Auza.

The report establishes that Santa Cruz had a reduction of -45% cases in the week; Beni -28%; Cochabamba -7%, Chuquisaca -28%, Tarija -27%, Oruro -17%; Potosi -5%; while Pando rose 63% and La Paz 7%.

Auza indicated that it is the second consecutive week that cases have decreased in Santa Cruz and that, if this trend continues for another week, one could speak of a de-escalation in that region.

He called on the population to maintain biosecurity measures and vaccination, but if they are neglected, the possibility of a fifth wave is not ruled out.

Government presents Evo's former anti-drug chief and requests information from the US Embassy

The former head of the Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (Felcn), in the management of the government of Evo Morales, Maximiliano Dávila, was presented by the Minister of Government, Eduardo Del Castillo, who sent the United States Embassy to request information. about the DEA complaint.

Handcuffed and escorted by two armed police officers, the former police chief was presented to the media. In this regard, Del Castillo stated that no authority will be covered up and detected if they are investigated by the police.

"With this we demonstrate that the investigations are being carried out to determine the links of this man with the investigations of illicit profits, which the Bolivian Police is carrying out. Other people could also be linked, always remembering that they are in a personal capacity and that the investigations determine the actions to be carried out," the authority said.

Dávila was apprehended on Saturday night in the border region of Villazón in Potosí, around 11:30 p.m., when he intended to cross the border into Argentina. On January 21, prosecutor Lupe Zabala issued an arrest warrant against the former police chief, he is being investigated for the crime of legitimizing illicit profits.

She explained that this Saturday Dávila was found in Cochabamba, traveled to Oruro, later to Potosí and followed alternate paths through the towns of Challapata, Uyuni Atocha, Tupiza and was apprehended in Villazón, five minutes from the border.

He noted that through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs he has requested "more information on the case denounced by the DEA" from the United States Embassy, ​​to contrast the information.

He explained that on this day four raids were carried out, one of them in the Barrio Lindo area in Santa Cruz where no kidnapping was carried out since other people would be living in the house; From the house located in the Chacarilla area of ​​the capital of Santa Cruz, computers, six cell phones, a USB memory, a Suzuki brand vehicle, among other materials, were seized.

The third and fourth raids in the area of ​​Zarco Calle Pasaje Gandarillas in the department of Cochabamba found a double-barreled shotgun, US$14,000, and a vehicle. Also four iPhone cell phones, two tablets, two laptops and several documents.

The former head of the anti-drug force declared this Saturday in his news bulletin he accepted his right to remain silent and the Prosecutor's Office analyzes the following procedural steps to define his legal situation.

Finally, Zabala announced that the investigations will reach her relatives and other people involved in the case.

According to the arrest substantiation report, the Public Ministry took into account the DEA report where it states that Dávila together with ex-major Omar Rojas Echeverría, called "Bolivian Pablo Escobar" are part of a network of drug traffickers between Peru, Colombia and Bolivia.

The investigation also mentions Bolivians Jorge Roca Suárez (Techo 'e Paja) and Alexander Rojas (former director of Felcn).