Solidarity With Bolivian People’s Campaign to Bring Gonzalo “Goni” Sanchez de Lozado to Justice

Bolivia’s former president Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, a.k.a. “Goni,” is responsible for the murders of 67 people, yet he lives in the U.S. as a free man rather than facing justice for his crimes. Support the Bolivia Solidarity Network in the campaign to extradite him to Bolivia to face a Trial of Responsibility!

Goni, who was president from 1991-97 and from 2002-03, was forced out of office by the people of Bolivia for his violations of both human rights and democratic principles.

During his reign, Goni pushed neoliberal, export-oriented economic reforms onto the very poor and largely unwilling population of Bolivia. He privatized many of Bolivia’s state-owned enterprises, including the country’s national oil company which resulted in losses of $40 million/year in government revenues. He proposed tax increases on the working poor. He tried to further privatize Bolivia’s oil and gas sector, which would have led to the resources being sold back to the Bolivian people at much higher rates. Overall, his privatization policies led to higher unemployment, an increase in poverty levels, decreased national income, and a greater economic dependency on international institutions.

Goni’s disastrous economic policies led to may civil protests throughout the country. These protests were often met with military force.

• In Feb. 2003, police in La Paz went on strike partly in protest of the proposed tax increases, and the ensuing gun battle with the government troops, followed by civil protests, left 34 Bolivians dead.
• In Oct. 2003, the “Gas War” began in El Alto. Citizens protesting Goni’s plan to further privatize gas and oil were fired on by government troops trying to break apart their blockade of La Paz. Twenty-eight people were killed, and during the protests that followed in El Alto and La Paz, the military killed another 39 people.

Goni was forced out of office due to the massive protests he faced after the October massacre. He and two of his ministers fled to the U.S., where they have been living ever since. The Bolivian people have demanded that Goni and his cabinet ministers, who are responsible for these murders, be returned to their country to face the “Trial of Responsibility” that the Bolivian Congress authorized in 2004.

Although Bolivia formally requested that Goni and his ministers be served with subpoenas over a year ago, the U.S. government has still not complied. And until they are served, they cannot be indicted and extradited to Bolivia to face trial. The U.S. government’s refusal to serve these criminals with their subpeonas is yet another subversion of democracy and a slap in the face to the Bolivian people who deserve to see justice enforced for the crimes that were committed against them.

Current Status

A major challenge in bringing Goni, Berzain, and Berindoague to justice has been the stalling tactics they and the U.S. government have used to paralyze the Bolivian judicial process. It has happened once again. Last Thursday, May 9th, the Bolivian Constitutional Tribunal (which functions similarly to the U.S. Supreme Court) declared that the four interim magistrates installed by President Morales to the Supreme Judicial Court last December were only valid for a 90-day term, and as this date had past, had to leave the court immediately.

The decision was excessive, illegal, and political (the Tribunal is composed of judges representing the right-wing parties). Changes to the constitution and new legislation have left this 90-day rule, which was created in 1911, null and void. Furthermore, the rule does not apply to judicial branch officials and other legislation excludes interim Supreme Court judges from specific time limitations on their terms.

No one brought this case before the Tribunal—the ruling was simply handed down on its own, at a time when the Supreme Judicial Court was clearly soon going to release the order for extradition. The Tribunal acted illegally and clearly with political motives, but as the ultimate judicial authority, there is no higher court for appeals, although sanctions by the parliament are a possibility.

This presents a major problem. Composed of 12 members, the Supreme Judicial Court must approve the extradition by 2/3, or 9 judges–there are only 8 at present. Until new judges are put in place by parliament there will be no tribunal to review the case, and thus no investigation or extradition order.

For those in the U.S., this gives you time to prepare for the arrival of the extradition request, making sure that the criminal charges against Goni and his accomplices, as well as the stories behind the massacre, are on people’s minds, including both Congressional representatives and the public. This could help push the U.S. government (principally the President and the Dept. of State) to respond publicly, and more quickly, to the issue.

Take Action

1. Write a letter to your congressional representatives urging them to denounce the obstruction of Bolivian justice. They should write a Dear Colleague letter, speak to the matter on the floor of the House and Senate, send a letter of support for extradition to the U.S. State Department, or consider a resolution of support similar to what was passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in October 2006.

2. Write an editorial or article in your local newspaper, the newsletter of a community organization, or blog to make people aware of the bloody massacre these men committed, and the shame of the U.S. for harboring such criminals and obstructing justice.

3. Post flyers with information in public spaces.

4. Do not let Goni and his buddies get comfortable. In fact, make their lives in the U.S. as difficult as possible. This is something of special importance to the families of those killed in the massacres. Write letters to Goni’s neighbors and organizations in their communities. Here’s where the men live:

• Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, 5509 Center Street, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
• Jorge Berindoague, 117 Alta Mesa Court, Moraga, CA 94556
• Carlos Sanchez Berzain, 280 Glenridge Road, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

This update on the campaign to bring Goni to justice is adapted from www.juiciogoniya.org. and http://www.globalexchange.org.

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