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Argentina accused of supplying arms to Bolivia’s coup regime used in indigenous massacres

FORMER Argentinian president Mauricio Macri’s government was accused today of having supplied arms used by the Bolivian coup regime to put down protests in the wake of president Evo Morales’s overthrow.

The Bolivian Foreign Ministry published documents that purport to reveal Argentinian complicity in atrocities committed by the coup administration of Jeanine Anez, including the Sacaba and Senkata massacres.

At a press conference, Bolivian Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta showed journalists what he said was an official letter dated November 13 2019, in which then air force chief General Jorge Gonzalo Terceros thanked Argentinian ambassador Normando Alvarez Garcia for the delivery of 40,000 bullets.

The letter also said that tear gas canisters and grenades had been received by the Bolivian regime.

“Argentina, presided [over] by Mauricio Macri, gave lethal weapons to the Bolivian armed forces, who repressed social protests in November 2019. 

“On November 13 they were thanked. November 15, two days later, the massacre in Sacaba was carried out. A few days later, November 19, the massacre in Senkata was carried out,” Mr Mayta said.

Scores of people were killed in the two massacres, which took place as Ms Anez mobilised the country’s military to quell dissent in the wake of the toppling of Mr Morales, who was forced to flee Bolivia after the Washington-backed coup.

She faces charges of terrorism, sedition and conspiracy over the incidents, which largely targeted members of Bolivia’s indigenous population after a decree was signed exempting the armed forces from criminal responsibility.

“We are outraged because there was a foreign government which colluded in the carrying out of serious human rights abuses,” Mr Mayta added.

Investigations  are already under way after Ecuador, under then president Lenin Moreno, offered military aid to Bolivia in the same period.

Gen Terceros has been arrested for his role in the coup and for colluding with foreign powers.

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