The governor of Santa Cruz, Luis Fernando Camacho, one of the main opponents of the Bolivian government, was imprisoned on Friday for four months, which triggered violent street clashes in his region between civilians and police.
Judge Sergio Pacheco had previously ordered "
the application of preventive detention for the accused Luis Fernando Camacho Vaca
" who "
must serve four months in the penitentiary center of Chonchocoro
", a high security prison in the Bolivian Andes 30 km from La Paz.
He was transferred there soon after, according to images broadcast by television.
The prosecution had requested Thursday six months of preventive detention against Luis Fernando Camacho, 43 years old.
The latter was arrested on Wednesday on the orders of the prosecution, which accuses him of "
terrorism
" for an alleged "
coup
" against the former left-wing president, Evo Morales, in November 2019.
The besieged departmental police command
The incarceration of the influential opposition leader sparked clashes between protesters and police on Friday in Santa Cruz, Bolivia's most populous city and the country's economic engine.
At least four civilians have been arrested, according to initial reports.
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During these demonstrations, young people besieged the offices of the departmental command of the police, noted AFP.
Clashes to which the police responded with the widespread use of tear gas.
A Unitel television journalist was injured.
A popular rebellion
For his part, Luis Fernando Camacho has defended himself several times for having fomented a coup and prefers to speak of a popular rebellion against Evo Morales (2006-2019), whom he accuses of having rigged the presidential elections. in 2019 to stay in power.
Luis Fernando Camacho is one of the main leaders of the Bolivian right and leads the second political opposition force in Parliament, Creemos, behind the Citizen Community (CC) party of former centrist President Carlos Mesa.
An arrest condemned and welcomed
Former Bolivian heads of state Jeanine Añez (2019-2020) and Jorge Quiroga (2001-2002), from the same political side as Luis Fernando Camacho, as well as Carlos Mesa (2014-2018) condemned the arrest of the governor.
Ms. Añez was also targeted by the same charges as him and sentenced to ten years in prison in June.
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Supporters of the socialist government of Luis Arce, they welcomed the detention of Luis Fernando Camacho.
The attorney general of the state, Wilfredo Chavez, a former minister of Evo Morales, notably declared that “
justice must do its job
”.
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