Asylum fight heating up Bolivia-Peru tensions

[struggle4progress]

By CARLOS VALDEZ – 12 minutes ago

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Bolivia demanded Monday that Peru hand over three former government ministers charged with genocide in the 2003 killing of dozens of protesters, and President Evo Morales called asylum an "open provocation of the Bolivian people."

Peruvian President Alan Garcia granted asylum to one of the former officials — Jorge Torres — in April and is reviewing requests from the other two.

The fight is worsening already poor relations between the neighboring South American nations, which have been at odds since Garcia, an economic liberal, and Morales, a leftist, took office in 2006. Morales vehemently opposes Garcia's push for a regional free trade pact with the European Union and is a strong critic of Peru's free trade pact with the U.S.

The asylum case involves a sensitive event in Bolivia, where soldiers sent to quell an anti-government protest in 2003 killed 63 demonstrators in the city of El Alto, a bastion of support for the leftist Morales. No charges were filed in the case until after Morales won the presidency ... http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j1OK4ZG_029wWp-JmkM7c7t3Ff9gD984CTF81

[Judi Lynn]

1. Sorry, I just saw your earlier posted article after I posted it overnight. Peru's will be crowded,

when the asylum seekers from fascist groups start bumping into each other there.

Alan Garcia's playing an ugly game allowing them shelter there after they run afoul of their own people. He apparently isn't farsighted enough to realize he'll be turning the rest of the continent against him by giving the people who slaughter them, and the people who conspire to overthrow their elected governments a home-away-from-home, like Miami.

What a shame.

[Judi Lynn]

2. 12 May, 2009 [ 11:28 ]

12 May, 2009 < 11:28 >

Peru not obliged to explain asylum for Torres, ambassador says

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The ambassador of Peru in Bolivia, Fernando Rojas, said that Peru's Government has acted with "total responsibility" in the case of the asylum to a former Bolivian minister, and that it is not obliged to explain a “sovereign decision."

"The Peruvian Government is extremely respectful with the norms and the international treaties, and this case has been carefully evaluated,” said Rojas to a news agency.

Nevertheless, he pointed out at the fact that Lima “does not need to give any explanation" since the decision of granting this asylum to Jorge Torres Obleas has been a "sovereign decision".

Bolivia's President Evo Morales has criticized his Peruvian counterpart, Alan Garcia because of this, alleging that Torres Obleas and another members of Sanchez de Losada's former Cabinet are being accused of genocide in Bolivia, on the death of more than 60 people -caused by armed repression- of October 2003.

http://www.livinginperu.com/news/9067


(Peru's ambassador in Bolivia, Fernando Rojas,
not a blunt force trauma victim)

[EFerrari]

3. Have you seen the commentary at BoRev?

:)

http://www.borev.net/2009/05/we_accept_him_we_accept_him.html

[rabs]

4. Bolivia may be on the brink of a diplomatic rupture

with Peru.

Evo Morales on Wednesday said relations were at a "high risk" stage and "we are seriously analyzing the attitudes of President Alan Garcia and his government ...


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La Paz, 13 mayo (ABI) – El presidente Evo Morales afirmó el miércoles que la decisión del gobierno de Perú, de brindar asilo político a ex funcionarios imputados por la justicia de Bolivia, ha puesto en “alto riesgo” la relación bilateral, durante una conferencia de prensa en el Palacio Quemado de La Paz.

“Estamos analizando seriamente estas actitudes del presidente Alan García y su gobierno que ponen en alto riesgo las relaciones diplomáticas con el gobierno y con el pueblo boliviano”, sostuvo Morales en un encuentro con la prensa extranjera acreditada en el país.