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News > U.S.

Bolivia: Añez Regime's Ex Minister Pleads Guilty in US Court

  • Arturo Morillo (L) & former Self-proclaimed president Jeanine Añez (R).

    Arturo Morillo (L) & former Self-proclaimed president Jeanine Añez (R). | Photo: Twitter/ @Primicias24_

Published 20 October 2022
Opinion

Arturo Murillo swindled the Bolivian state in 2019, when the U.S.-backed regime was trying to repress workers, farmers, and students.

On Thursday, former Interior Minister Arturo Murillo pleaded guilty to bribery and money laundering in a case of purchase of anti-riot material, which took place during the U.S.-backed de facto government lead by Jeanine Añez (2019-2020).

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The Court of the Southern District of Florida hosted the hearing of this case. Since May 2021, the former Bolivian official has remained in the Miami Dade County Federal Detention Center in the United States, where he can spend a sentence of up to six years in prison.

During the Añez regime, Murillo bought tear gas for US$5.7 million from the Bravo Tactical Solutions, which in turn paid US$3.3 million to the Brazilian company Condor.

In this intermediation operation, the Bolivian state was harmed by US$2.3 million, which were divided between three U.S. citizens and Murillo's former chief of staff.

Previously, U.S. judges sentenced accomplices Philip Lichtenfeld, Sergio Mendez, and brothers Bryan and Luis Berkman, all of whom also pleaded guilty in Florida.

Lichtenfeld and the Berkman brothers paid US$602,000 in bribes to Murillo and Mendez to secure the award of the contract with the Defense Ministry between Nov. 2019 and April 2020.

This corruption case happened at a time when the U.S.-backed regime was trying to repress workers, farmers, and students who were protesting against the coup that removed President Evo Morales, the leader of the Movement Towards Socialism, from power.

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