La Paz.- The President of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz, issued a legal reform on Friday that will allow the maximum authority of the Public Prosecutor's Office to be definitively suspended when he is charged with a criminal offence, in the face of the current prosecutor general, Roger Mariaca, who is arrested and syndicated with alleged protection of drug trafficking.
In an act at the Government Palace, Paz signed the law amending article 25 of the Public Prosecutor's Office's Organic Law, to incorporate a mechanism for the «final suspension» of the general prosecutor when «he is formally charged and / or subject to a personal protective measure for offences punishable» with imprisonment.
The rule provides that in this circumstances, the legislature shall approve the final suspension of the general prosecutor by two thirds of the votes of the parliamentarians present at the session, who may also elect an interim authority to remain in office until the Assembly designates a new holder.
Image of the file of Roger Mariaca in his inauguration as the general prosecutor of Bolivia. EEF / Luis Gandarillas
This law was previously passed separately in the Senate and the lower house and it is expected that the plenary of the Legislative Assembly will be reconvened on Friday to deal with the situation of Prosecutor Mariaca.
The police arrested Roger Mariaca on Wednesday, after the Bolivian Government accused him of allegedly leading a «criminal organization» to protect «narco-terrorism» in the country.
He was arrested two days after the U.S. Government. The United States included it in a list of senior officials and former officials from three countries who were withdrawn from the visa, after accusing this group of corruption and seeking the fall of democratic governments.
