Carwil Bjork-James

Civic Committees from across #Bolivia ratchet down protests demanding release of #SantaCruz governor #LuisFernandoCamacho, urge end to blockades in lowland department.

They will convene cabildos in each departmental capital on January 25.
#BOpol
https://www.erbol.com.bo/nacional/c%C3%ADvicos-del-pa%C3%ADs-convocan-un-cabildo-nacional-el-25-de-enero-y-piden-levantar-los-bloqueos

Cívicos del país convocan a un cabildo nacional el 25 de enero y piden levantar los bloqueos en Santa Cruz

El movimiento cívico decidió convocar a un cabildo nacional a realizarse, de forma simultánea, el 25 de enero de enero en todas las ciudades de país y pidió además levantar los puntos de bloqueo en los accesos al departamento de Santa Cruz. La decisión fue asumida en una asamblea realizada en la ciudad de Santa Cruz de la Sierra donde participaron representantes cívicos del país además de activistas.

Erbol
Jan 17, 2023 at 5:15pmWeb
Show threadCarwil Bjork-JamesJan 17, 2023
Civic Committees have classed Luis Fernando Camacho, arrested for alleged coordination with the military and police in the 2019 ouster of Evo Morales as a "political prisoner." https://twitter.com/CarwilBJ/status/1608943101577687040
Carwil Bjork-James on Twitter

“Other than to interview Camacho, who has termed the investigation illegitimate, the proposed steps do not require Camacho to be behind bars. Whether his arrest was legally warranted, or politically wise, are separate questions from investigating this conspiring.”

Twitter
Show threadCarwil Bjork-JamesJan 17, 2023
Leading lists of "political prisoners" in Bolivia are a variegated set, including Jeanine Ánez who was convicted of unlawfully assuming the presidency, police mutineers, military officers charged w/ massacres, and politicians and bureaucrats charged w/ minor crimes.
Show threadCarwil Bjork-JamesJan 17, 2023

Aside from Áñez and Camacho, former Potosí civic committee leader Marco Pumari (Camacho's presidential running mate) is of highest concern to the Civic Committees.

He is charged in the night-time arson of an electoral tribunal. https://twitter.com/CarwilBJ/status/1588206644088999938

Carwil Bjork-James on Twitter

“Striking video from 2019 of Marco Pumari negotiating custody of the Departmental Electoral Tribunal from the police. (at 1:45:00) followed by the Police commander Williams Villa explaining his de-escalation "so there are no bajas [dead or wounded]." https://t.co/IZsJgdpcpl”

Twitter
Show threadCarwil Bjork-JamesJan 17, 2023

Civic Committees are department-wide civil society organizations with a right-leaning history in most Bolivian departments.

In 2006-09 and since 2020 they have served as the core of opposition to the MAS-IPSP-led national government.