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Bolivia 'Has Been and Is a Refuge for Drug Traffickers,' Admits Anti-Drug Chief
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

Bolivia 'Has Been and Is a Refuge for Drug Traffickers,' Admits Anti-Drug Chief

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Bolivia's anti-drug czar admits the country has been and continues to be a haven for drug traffickers.
  • He cited the arrests of high-profile figures like Sebastián Marset and Gerson Palermo as evidence of ongoing operations.
  • Despite these challenges, Bolivia claims to have regained international trust in combating drug trafficking through cooperation with neighboring countries and the US.

Bolivia's top anti-drug official has acknowledged that the country has historically served, and continues to serve, as a refuge for international drug traffickers. Ernesto Justiniano, the country's "anti-drug czar" and Vice Minister of Social Defense and Controlled Substances, stated that criminal organizations like Brazil's Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) operate within Bolivia.

Justiniano pointed to recent high-profile arrests, including that of Uruguayan Sebastián Marset and Brazilian Gerson Palermo, as indicators of the ongoing presence and activities of these traffickers. Marset was apprehended in Bolivia and subsequently handed over to U.S. agents, while Palermo, a wanted figure in Brazil, was extradited to face charges there.

Despite these admissions, Justiniano asserted that Bolivia has "become reliable again" in the international fight against drug trafficking. He highlighted the country's renewed cooperation with law enforcement agencies in Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, and Paraguay. This renewed collaboration, he suggested, demonstrates Bolivia's commitment to combating transnational crime.

Bolivia has been a refuge, is a refuge for drug traffickers. They are operating here, they were operating with Marset too, the CV (Comando Vermelho) and the PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital) mainly.

— Ernesto JustinianoBolivia's anti-drug czar, Ernesto Justiniano, acknowledged the country's role as a haven for traffickers.

The official also referenced the U.S. State Department's decision to designate the CV and PCC as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, noting that Bolivia cannot ignore the implications of transnational crime extending beyond drug seizures to become a direct threat to state security. He indicated that pressure on drug trafficking will now encompass migration, diplomacy, and financial and logistical aspects.

Furthermore, Bolivia has re-established relations with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which will open an office in La Paz focused on intelligence sharing, though not direct operational involvement. This move signifies a significant shift, given the historical expulsion of DEA agents and the former U.S. ambassador by ex-President Evo Morales in 2008.

Bolivia has become reliable again in the international fight against drug trafficking.

— Ernesto JustinianoJustiniano stated that Bolivia has regained international trust in its efforts against drug trafficking.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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