Bolivia on Thursday confirmed the arrest of the country’s Attorney General Roger Mariaca on suspicion of drug trafficking and money laundering. This comes just days after the US Department of State imposed visa restrictions on Mariaca under similar grounds.
Minister of Government Marco Antonio Oviedo announced that Mariaca was among 14 individuals arrested in a law enforcement operation targeting an alleged criminal ring operating within Bolivia’s Public Prosecutor’s Office. A formal complaint was filed against Mariaca under Article 132 of the Penal Code, which applies to organized crime, and Law 1008, which regulates the distribution of controlled substances. Bolivian police also reportedly seized roughly $300,000 in cash from Mariaca’s home.
The legality of Mariaca’s arrest has been disputed. The AG’s office described the law enforcement operation as a kidnapping and an illegal detention. On Friday, a Bolivian court rejected a petition for Mariaca’s release that was filed under Article 125 of the constitution. Article 125 allows for an “Accion de Libertad,” which challenges elements of prosecution and confinement, operating in a similar capacity to a habeas petition in the US.
This follows recent accusations and travel restrictions levied against Mariaca by the US government. In a press release issued last week, the US Department of State explained the sanctions:
[Mariaca] abused his public positions by soliciting and accepting bribes to facilitate narcotrafficking and helped violent criminals evade justice. His actions endanger President Trump’s efforts to combat narcoterrorism while undermining the very democratic institutions Bolivia, as a Shield participant, is working to strengthen. President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s message is simple: corrupt officials – and the criminals they protect – are not welcome in the United States.
In its sanctions, the United States invokes Section 7031(c) of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, which states in part:
Officials of foreign governments and their immediate family members about whom the Secretary of State has credible information have been involved, directly or indirectly, in significant corruption […] or a gross violation of human rights […] shall be ineligible for entry into the United States
On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Bolivia’s anti-trafficking actions but did not mention Mariaca by name. Mariaca has denied the US allegations, describing them as political pressure linked to investigations by his office. His lawyer has told local Bolivian media that Mariaca will cooperate with investigators but asked that his right to due process be respected.