Bolivia - December 2022

Luis Fernando Camacho, governor of the Santa Cruz region and a notable opposition leader, was arrested and charged with terrorism for his alleged involvement in toppling Evo Morales’s government. Camacho, a right-wing politician, took prominent part in the protests against the results of the 2019 elections, which experienced major irregularities and which resulted in Morales stepping down. The charges come after Camacho led strikes to protest the Bolivian government’s decision to postpone a population and housing census because of technical and Covid-19 concerns.

In this context, tensions and conflict have been rising between pro-government protesters and those aligned with the opposition in the Santa Cruz department. The latter implemented the strikes aimed at pressuring the central government to hold said census in a shorter timeframe, given that its results impact the distribution of resources and political representation in congress. They have also organized demonstrations against Camacho’s arrest. After confrontation with police, 28 protesters were detained.

Sources: El Pais, Reuters, British Broadcasting Corporation