Political assassination

06.16.2004

The exchange rate's finally gone up. I'm amazed it stayed steady over the course of so much political whodunits the past weeks. But. It's now Bs.7.91 (up a centavo from yesterday).

But. The big news today's the murder of the mayor of Ayo Ayo, a small Altiplano town. Benjamín Altamirano was kidnapped in La Paz by political opponents, who'd sentenced him to death in absentia. He'd come to the capital to ask for government protection. His burned body was found in the plaza of his little town. Journalists at the scene were attacked; a Canal 7 cameraman was injured after a rock struck his head.

After he'd been deposed of his mayorship, Altamirano won a court case that restated him. But. After his house was burned down. He had no choice but to move, coming to La Paz to plead his case. Altamirano was an NFR member; members of CONDEPA (a rival populist party) led the opposition against him. After the brouhaha, NFR spokesmen denied Altamirano was a party member.

The Ayo Ayo mayor was accused of financial fraud & mismanagement. While the Ministry of Hacienda investigated the case, he was replaced by an interim mayor. A subsequent court case found no reason to suspend the mayor. But. After a mob attacked public authorities in the town, expelling them, the judge revoked all findings in the case.

Ayo Ayo has a history of violence. In 1899, local residents killed (and then ate) 27 soldiers. The Altamarino case shocked most Bolivians who saw the burned corpse on television. The media are now recounting reports of other Altiplano mayors who've fled mob violence, lucky to escape w/ their lives.

More frequently, the Altiplano's becoming the scene of mob-level political violence. There's a general lack of respect for public authority. There's an insistence on using "communal" justice — which includes beatings, torture, even death — all illegal under the national constitution. What this means is that the state's lost its ability to enforce law & order — a minimal condition for a democratic state.

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Eduardo Avila has a post at Living in Latin America

Posted by Miguel at 04:39 PM

Comments

Perhaps the general lack of respect for public authority may be partly attributable tho this sort of behavior:

"After a mob attacked public authorities in the town, expelling them, the judge revoked all findings in the case."

In the interest of stability and continuity, it doesn't make sense for the government to kowtow to mob violence.

Also, this is shocking:

"In 1899, local residents killed (and then ate) 27 soldiers."

And I thought the murders and mutilation of the Ami contractors in Fallujah was repulsive! Sweet Mary!

Posted by: tom at June 16, 2004 05:22 PM