The government confirmed the death of Jhonny Cruz, an Evista leader, in a police operation carried out in Chapare. According to the Deputy Minister of Interior Regime, Jhonny Aguilera, Cruz was linked to a criminal network dedicated to kidnapping and murder. The operation was conducted in search of Ariel Villarroel, another alleged member of the organization.
During the intervention, Cruz allegedly fired at the police officers, and the agents reacted in self-defense. The former dictator Evo Morales denounced the event as a murder and blamed the government for Cruz's death. He claimed that the leader was intercepted by civilians in an unmarked vehicle.
According to his version, he tried to defend himself, which led to a shootout in which he was killed. Morales demanded the arrest of the police officer who shot Cruz, giving the government a 48-hour deadline to act. Deputy Minister Aguilera denied Morales's version and assured that it was not a murder.
Aguilera explained that Cruz fired first at the police, which forced the agents to respond. He clarified that Cruz was wounded in the leg and that his death was due to the time elapsed without medical attention. He highlighted that the deceased's family did not claim his body for five days, which reinforces the hypothesis of his involvement with criminal groups.
Does Evo Morales support criminals?
Evo Morales responsabilizó al Gobierno de Luis Arce por la muerte
The operation aimed to capture Ariel Villarroel, the alleged criminal leader of Chapare. According to Aguilera, Villarroel was involved in murders and other violent crimes, and the deputy minister indicated that Villarroel lost his life in the confrontation with the police. He assured that there was an exchange of gunfire after his discovery.
Evo Morales described Cruz's death as a strategy to decapitate the peasant movement of Chapare. In a public event, he accused President Luis Arce of orchestrating a persecution against his followers. He argued that there are attempts to weaken the social sectors that support him.
The regime has rejected the accusations and maintains that the operations aim to dismantle criminal networks. Aguilera insisted that the police intervention was justified. He reiterated that the agents acted in legitimate defense when attacked and dismissed the existence of a political persecution against sectors allied with Morales.
Meanwhile, sectors allied with Morales have intensified their complaints against the government, Evista senators claimed that there are infiltrators in their political events. Leonardo Loza, an Evista senator, warned that any confrontation with the union guard will be the government's responsibility. He denounced that there are helicopters and security forces mobilized in Chapare.
El Gobierno indicó que Cruz era parte de una red criminal
The Minister of Government, Eduardo del Castillo, denied that there are plans to arrest Morales at political events. He assured that the coca leader seeks to provoke confrontations between the population and the police. He emphasized that the government will not fall into provocations and that the arrest warrant against Morales will be executed in due time.
In Chapare, civil groups have formed security rings around Morales. The presence of foreign citizens within these groups was reported. According to Aguilera, these individuals seek to prevent the execution of judicial orders, and the police consider this a challenge to the authority of the State.
The relatives of Jhonny Cruz have not made statements about his death, and it is unknown if they have initiated legal actions against the government or the police. The lack of pronouncement has been highlighted by the authorities as a striking factor. Aguilera reiterated that Cruz was linked to criminal networks and that his death was the result of his violent actions.
These events reflect a concerning normalization of violence by certain union and coca leaders, who do not hesitate to open fire or attack police authorities. The ease with which these groups resort to aggression highlights a climate of impunity. It is not the first time that security operations face armed resistance in Chapare, a region where the State seems to have limited control.
