Bolivian officials Nov. 11 formally requested that the US issue extradition orders for former Bolivian president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada to face “genocide” charges for his repression of October 2003 protests over corporate exploitation of the country’s natural gas resources that left at least 60 dead. The officials called for the extradition of Sánchez de Lozada’s former defense and energy ministers under a 1995 extradition treaty with the US.
Sánchez de Lozada resigned amid the unrest and fled Bolivia for the US. The movement to extradite him has been spearheaded by family members of those killed in the repression, and has had the support of the current Bolivian government. The 2003 protests were led by Sánchez de Lozada’s former political rival and current Bolivian president Evo Morales. (Jurist, Nov. 12)
See our last post on Bolivia.
