The United States Department of State communicated this Monday that it has imposed sanctions and has banned access to the country for Bolivia's Attorney General, Roger Mariaca, whom it blames for corrupt practices and for favoring activities linked to drug trafficking.
"Mariaca was elected in 2024 for a six-year term as Attorney General, during the term of the far-left president Luis Arce," explains the Department of State in a statement that notes that "he abused his public position to solicit and accept bribes to facilitate drug trafficking and helps violent criminals evade justice."
According to Washington, these behaviors "endanger President (Donald) Trump's efforts to combat narcoterrorism and undermine Bolivia's democratic institutions," a country that, the text recalls, is part of the Shield of the Americas coalition.
Together with Mariaca, the United States has also decided to sanction twelve other Bolivian citizens and their family members, who have had their visas revoked. The list includes prosecutors, judges, former magistrates, a former executive of the National Customs, a police colonel, a businessman, and former Justice Minister Iván Lima. In addition, nine other Bolivians who currently do not have a visa are also disqualified from applying for this document.