October 22, 2021 · Bolivia
Captain Who Defied Colonel Alex Bedoya's Order Could Be a Victim of Human Rights Violations for Fulfilling His Duty
By GHRL · Source: Facebook
#GHRL On Tuesday, October 19, a captain whose name is withheld, a patrol officer with the Special Force for the Fight Against Drug Trafficking (FELCN), reported to his superior, Colonel Alex Vladimir Bedoya Fajardo, a truck loaded with chemical precursors totaling more than 6 tons, including caustic soda, calcium chloride, metabisulfite, urea, sulfuric acid, and ethyl acetate. All of these chemical agents are the base ingredients for cocaine production.
Adherence to protocol in this case makes the captain a hero, especially given the publicly known ties between MAS leader Evo Morales—political boss of former minister and current president Luis Arce—and drug cartels, not only in Bolivia but around the world, as confirmed by national and international investigative media.
On the other hand, that same adherence to the law and its protocols also makes the captain a target of persecution for failing to obey Colonel Bedoya's orders. Bedoya clearly attempted to deliberately conceal the truck's cargo, and it is now publicly known what crime he intended to commit—and in which he sought to implicate the captain.
In this regard, given the way the narco-dictatorship operates, the captain's career (transfer, discharge, punishment, among other measures), his integrity, and even his life could face serious violations. As Global Human Rights League, we are closely following this case in order to expose any human rights violations committed against the captain, and to once again bring to light the reality being lived in Bolivia.
GHRL – October 22, 2021