Bolivia's US Installed Coup d'Etat Regime Authorizes Brute Force

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Following Evo Morales' democratic reelection on October 20, a CIA-orchestrated coup d'etat unconstitutionally replaced him with hard-right, political nobody senator Jeanine Anez.

Article 169 of Bolivia's Constitution states:

"In case of impediment or definitive absence of the president of the State, he will be replaced in office by the Vice President and, in his absence, by the President of the Senate, and in the absence of this by the President of the Chamber of Deputies. In the latter case, new elections will be called within a maximum period of ninety days."

Nothing in Bolivia's Constitution permits a senator to self-declare herself president. Nothing in international or Bolivian law permits fascism over democratic freedoms.

Anez and her Bolivian backers have no legitimacy. Straightaway, she announced a pre-selected cabinet of hard-right, anti-populist ministers — charged with eliminating challenges to their rule and re-establishing fascist tyranny over governance serving all Bolivians equitably.

In days, they reversed positive changes Morales and his Movement for Socialism (MAS) party instituted since January 2006. 

MAS politicians, independent journalists, human rights workers, and activists for equity and justice have been harassed, intimidated, arrested or threatened with arrest.

By illegitimate presidential decree, Bolivia's military and police were authorized to use brute force, including live fire and mass arrests against protesters for democratic freedoms over fascist rule, stating:

"The @CIDH Alert for Supreme Decree No. 4078 on FF.AA. in Bolivia, dated November 15, 2019. The Decree intends to exempt FF.AA. personnel from criminal responsibility that participate in the operations for reestablishment and stability of the internal order."

An opposition statement said "(i)n Bolivia, things are not well and will not likely improve because now Bolivia's (coup d'etat) president Jeanine Anez has signed a decree that exempts the military from criminal responsibilities caused by the exercise of repression against citizens."

A Bolivian student group denounced police state "raids on homes of People's Congress" activists.

National Confederation of Indigenous Female Farmers spokesperson Maribel Avalos said the coup d'etat regime is "repress(ing) us…but the people are united" against it.

Dozens have been killed, hundreds injured, over 1,000 arrested. Weeks of blood in the streets mark the aftermath of Anez's power grab, a self-declared, unelected, coup d'etat president with no legitimacy — installed by the CIA to serve US interests.

Coup d'etat interior minister Arturo Murillo said the prosecutor's office established a "special apparatus" to charge and arrest MAS lawmakers with "subversion and sedition" if unwilling to switch allegiance from Morales to the coup regime.

Twitter supports it, permitting establishment of tens of thousands of fake accounts backing it, set up in days following Anez's usurpation, spreading fake news of events in the country.

Anez may prohibit MAS participation in new elections when held. Morales tweeted:

"The putschist government of…Anez plans to suspend the Plurinational Legislative Assembly." Pro-Morales members hold a two-thirds majority.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International (AI) failed to call what's going on in Bolivia a coup.

HRW's Americas director Jose Miguel Vivanco said Morales stepped down "after weeks of civil unrest and violent clashes," ignoring his toppling.

HRW director Kenneth Roth tweeted: 

"Bolivia"s Evo Morales was 'the casualty of a counter-revolution aimed at defending democracy (sic) against electoral fraud & his own illegal candidacy (sic)." 

"The army w/drew its support because it was not prepared to fire on people (sic) in order to sustain him in power."

He "was so determined 'to remain in power he made the classic strongman's mistake of losing touch with the street (sic).' " 

"He finagled an end to term limits (sic). 'He then claimed victory in a dubious election last month (sic). That triggered the uprising.' "

"The most important thing now in this transitional moment for Bolivia (sic) is ensuring that authorities reestablish the rule of law and protect fundamental rights (sic), including to protest peacefully and to vote in transparent, competitive, and fair elections (sic)."

CIA-orchestrated blood in the streets followed post-October 20 2019 elections, Morales democratically triumphing over his leading opponent. 

Independent Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) analysis revealed a free, fair and open process, no electoral fraud and irregularities as the Washington-based, US imperial tool Organization of American States (OAS) falsely claimed.

In cahoots with their corporate donors and Washington, HRW and Amnesty International (AI) support US imperial interests over peace, equity and justice.

Despite weeks of CIA-orchestrated blood in the streets, HRW and AI failed to call events in Bolivia a coup d'etat.

On Tuesday, HRW said: "The priority (in the country) should be to ensure that the fundamental rights of Bolivians, including to peaceful protest and other peaceful assembly, are upheld."

Post-election last month, AI falsely blamed Morales' government for CIA-orchestrated violence following his reelection triumph, saying:

"(T)he Evo Morales administration must guarantee the Bolivian people's right to peaceful protest (sic)," adding:''

"(T)he Bolivian authorities' response to the demonstrations has been deeply alarming and has shown contempt for human rights."

HRW and AI ties to corporate donors and US imperial interests destroy their phony pretext of independence and impartiality.

Belatedly on November 19, a month after anti-Morales coup d'etat violence erupted, HRW said the following:

The Anez regime "adopted and announced alarming measures that run counter to fundamental human rights standards," HRW's America's director Vivanco, adding:

"We are extremely concerned by measures taken by Bolivian authorities that appear to prioritize brutally cracking down on opponents and critics and give the armed forces a blank check to commit abuses instead of working to restore the rule of law in the country."

On November 18, AI's Americas director Erika Guevara-Rosas said the following:

"The grave human rights crisis that Bolivia has experienced since the elections of 20 October has been aggravated by the intervention and action of the security forces," adding: 

"Any message giving carte blanche for impunity is extremely serious. The disastrous historical precedents of intervention by the Armed Forces in the region require maximum observance and commitment to respect and protect human rights."

Neither statement explained weeks of CIA-orchestrated coup d'etat violence, installing fascist tyranny over democratic rule in Bolivia.

On Wednesday, Morales said the following:

"The mobilized people's resounding demand is that the dictatorship should step down," adding:

"That means we finish our term, and in exchange we won't be a candidate (in the next election). If it's a matter of peace, so no more lives are lost, no problem, I renounce" my candidacy.

The coup d'etat Anez regime "is…not a transition government. With repression, they are killing our people. They are traitors to our country."

"My great wish is to return quickly to Bolivia…I have been told from people in a position to know that the Americans don't want me back…Why do the gringos fear an Indian?"

He's in contact with Bolivian allies, getting countless messages of support, urging him to return.

"Evo, come help pacify us," he said, noting messages he received.

Trump regime hardliners will go all-out to prevent his return. Bolivia is Washington's latest imperial trophy if able to keep it.

The country's history of resisting tyranny offers hope of restoring democratic rule.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html