The five ex-military chiefs who made up the Bolivian High Command in 2003 were cited by the Public Ministry last month for the apparent destruction of Armed Forces documents related to "Black October [2]" violence of that year, which saw deadly repression against at least 60 indigenous protesters. Charges are still pending against ex-president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada in relation to the conflict, but the US has not extradited him back to Bolivia to face justice.
Generals Roberto Claros Fernández, Gonzalo Rocabado Mercado, Juan Véliz Herrera, José Quiroga Mendoza and Admiral Luis Aranda Granado were denounced to the Public Ministry by former Armed Forces commander and now senator with the ruling Movement to Socialism (MAS), Freddy Bersatti. The five officers have been caled upon to testify before the Public Ministry, and may face criminal charges. (Los Tiempos [3], Cochabamba, April 22)
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