Goni in Justice’s Sight
Nov 15th, 2009 by admin
Via Abiding in Bolivia, Bolivia Rising reports that the “U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida ruled yesterday that the claims for crimes against humanity and extrajudicial killings could move forward in two related U.S. cases against former Bolivian President Gonzalo Daniel Sánchez de Lozada Sánchez Bustamante (Sánchez de Lozada) and former Bolivian Defense Minister Jose Carlos Sánchez Berzaín (Sánchez Berzaín). The cases, Mamani, et al. v. Sánchez Berzaín, and Mamani, et al. v. Sánchez de Lozada, seek compensatory and punitive damages under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS).”
The complaints allege that in September and October 2003, Sánchez de Lozada and Sánchez Berzaín ordered Bolivian security forces to use deadly force, including high-powered rifles and machine guns, to suppress popular protests against government policies by targeting unarmed civilians in the indigenous Aymara community.
Sounds crazy to have a trial in the US, even if jurisdiction exists, if event occurred in Bolivia and 7 years ago. But such is politics.
Goni should really be tried in The Hague. But whatever–at least they’re prosecuting him where he now lives. He’ll get a slap on the wrist if he gets anything, but whatever.
His criminal prosecution will have to wait until he´s extradicted back to Bolivia (doubt that´ll happen). But at least there is some consequences in the US for his actions. Hopefully.
Well, one would hope so…given that he’s a gringo anyway!
Ha ha–too true!