According to the defense of the fugitive, who, after being deported, returned to Bolivia arrogantly and smiling after serving five years in prison in the United States for corruption, the reason for this latest postponement was a clash with another appeal hearing related to the massacre committed in Senkata in November 2019.

Previously, the court hearing had been postponed for various reasons, including requests from the former minister’s own defense and the lack of formal notification to the San Pedro prison, where Murillo is being held.

The Gases Ecuador case investigates the alleged irregular purchase of riot control equipment to repress those demanding the return of democratic order after the overthrow of former constitutional president Evo Morales on November 10, 2019, during the de facto government of Jeanine Anez (2019-2020).

The Attorney General’s Office reported that Murillo is currently facing 15 ordinary charges for various acts allegedly committed when, as Minister of Government, he was the most visible face of the repression during Anez’s term.

In this context, Bolivians welcomed the eight-year prison sentence of former Minister of Economy and Public Finance under Anez, Jose Luis Parada, for accessing a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) without authorization from the Plurinational Legislative Assembly (ALP).

In this regard, the State Attorney General, Ricardo Condori, reported that a conviction was handed down by the Sixth Criminal, Anti-Corruption, and Anti-Violence Against Women Court of La Paz.

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