Bolivia: the government of Arce demanded that Santa Cruz replace imprisoned governor Luis Fernando Camacho

The Executive branch of Bolivia demanded this Friday that the opposition region of Santa Cruz replace your governor Luis Fernando Camachoafter being jailed last week for his part in the departure of Evo Morales of the presidency in 2019.

The Minister of Justice, Ivan Lima, affirmed that the statute that governs the department of Santa Cruz, Bolivia’s economic locomotive, provides “clearly for the figure of Lieutenant Governor, which he can assume in case of temporary absence, as is what occurs in this situation”.

Camacho, one of the biggest opponents of the leftist government, He was arrested on December 28 and transferred to La Paz, in a trial called by the ruling party and the prosecution as a “coup d’état” against Morales (2006-2019).

Camacho, a 43-year-old lawyer and businessman, is considered one of the opposition leaders who promoted the street protests that forced Morales to resign.

He was elected governor in the 2021 regional elections with the 55% of the votes. Along with him, his co-religionist Mario Aguilera was also appointed lieutenant governor.

According to Minister Lima, Aguilera must assume the post of governor, while Camacho serves his temporary sentence of four months in prison, handed down by a judge.

He even warned against taking legal measures if the regional Legislative Assembly and the Santa Cruz government do not proceed with the temporary replacement.

“If the situation in Santa Cruz is not regularized next week, we have the obligation to present a criminal action for non-compliance of duties of said authorities”, he pointed out.

Aguilera said in advance that Camacho will continue to be governor and that He will exercise his functions even from prison, because he did not resign from office for his replacement to proceed.

The statute of Santa Cruz establishes the two figures: the temporary absence of the governor and his replacement by the lieutenant governor and the resignation for his permanent replacement.

Santa Cruz, meanwhile, meets this Friday 10 days of continuous street protestsafter the arrest of Camacho.

Dozens of civilians, mainly young people, gather in the Plaza del Cristo Redentor, a symbolic place where their leaders usually make their regional proclamations, to demand the release of Camacho.

Street clashes between civilians and police have left, according to official sources, more than 200 injured, some 70 opponents arrested and several state offices burned.

Santa Cruz is also isolated by land from the rest of the country, due to interdepartmental roadblocks.

(With information from AFP)

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