Irish 'involved' in Bolivia 'assassination attempt'

[deirdrem]

I'm not sure if this is the best place to put this information, but the website kaosenlared.net claims that the Spanish ultra-conservative Partido Popular, or highly-placed members of the party, were involved in financing the business in Bolivia:

La Fundación Iberoamérica-Europa

En las actuales investigaciones sobre el “Caso Rozsa”, el fiscal Marcelo Sosa comprobó, gracias a la Unidad de Investigaciones Financieras (UIF), las transacciones económicas sospechosas de organizaciones y personas que financiaron la célula terrorista de Rozsa entre marzo de 2008 y abril de 2009. Según los datos extraídos están implicadas en la financiación la Fundación Amérida - vinculada a la Fundación alemana Konrad Adenauer de la Unión Demócrata Cristina – la Fundación Pro Santa Cruz, el Comité Pro Santa Cruz, Fexpocruz y la Fundación Iberoamérica-Europa.

Actualmente la Fundación Iberoamérica-Europa la preside Pablo Izquierda, exdiputado del Partido Popular Español (PP) y antiguo responsable de Prensa del expresidente conservador y ultraliberal Jose María Aznar. Añadiendo que Ana Botella, la mujer de Aznar, fue la Vicepresidenta de la misma Fundación. La supuesta organización “no” gubernamental (ONG) ya fue investigada por la intervención General del estado español por irregularidades en la gestión de ayudas en cooperación internacional, y fue sometida a una investigación de la Oficina Europea de Lucha contra el Fraude (OELF) en 2007 por supuesto fraude financiero. La Fundación, desde 1999, ha recibido 4 millones de euros de financiación por la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid, presidida por otra ultraconservadora y miembro del PP, Esperanza Aguirre, de quien se ha confirmado su respaldo político y económico a organizaciones terroristas anticastristas de la mafia de Miami, como a la Fundación Nacional Cubano Americana (FNCA) fundada por Jorge Mas Canosa, y conformada por personajes como el mismo terrorista Posada Carriles que asesinó a 73 personas en un vuelo de Barbados a Cuba en 1976 y lo intentó varias veces contra Fidel Castro como en la Cumbre Iberoamericana de Panamá en el 2000, el reciente muerto Orlando Bosch o el manipulador Carlos Alberto Montaner.

KAOSENLARED.NET -- El Partido Popular español de Aznar financió el terrorismo de Rozsa: Se buscaba asesinar a Evo Morales o dividir Bolivia

They tell us that the foundation received money from the self-governing community of Madrid, ruled by the Partido Popular (4 million euros since 1999). I wonder if any of this money went to finance the group that Dwyer was involved with? If so, that would be an ex-governing party of an EU country involved in organising an attempt at "destabilising" Bolivia.
Not so surprising, really, considering the oil and gas interests of Repsol in Bolivia, and even less so when you look at what France and England have done in Libya, maybe. Also, considering what has happened in Libya, is it more acceptable that the government took serious steps to remove this threat to their authority in the way they did, and given the likelihood that a Spanish group (along with other right-wing foreign groups) might have been behind the whole thing?

[Thac0man]

Also, considering what has happened in Libya, is it more acceptable that the government took serious steps to remove this threat to their authority in the way they did, and given the likelihood that a Spanish group (along with other right-wing foreign groups) might have been behind the whole thing?

The conspiracy around what happened in Boliva has only become less substantial with deeper examination, not more widespread. The mess this whole affair has resulted in is not confined to Santa Cruz or even exported to Rossport or Madrid, but in instead its stuck in La Paz, where the Bolivian government seems unable to make facts match the hyped up claims upon which it acted.

Despite the apparent success of Morales and MAS in destroying opposition in Bolivia, the country is in deep and growing crises. Clapped out claims are no longer a distraction from the harsh reality of Morales failed policies and continued inabiltiy of MAS to make government actions tally with promises made.

The incident in Santa Cruz where Dwyer died seems to mirror the way the Morales government does business in wider Bolivia. All all fronts its a policy that seems wanting.

[El Libre]

The 'conclusive hearing' in the Bolivian Terrorism Case I is due to start today, October 26th, in Yacuiba for the accused Lucio Añez, Juan Carlos Santiesteban, Ronald Enrique Castedo and Gary Augusto Prado, all of whom cannot be taken on health grounds to an altitude more than 2,000 metres above sea level (Prensa Latina). The hearing for the other defendants is due to start in Cochabamba on November 3rd. Again, all stand accused of collaborating with Eduardo Rozsa Flores's gang, whose members as will be recalled were killed (including Michael Dwyer) or arrested on April 16th 2009. The so-called Terrorism Case II is in preparation against those accused of financing the gang and its alleged separatist activities in Santa Cruz.

Gary Prado of course was one of the captors of Che Guevara, so there is a suspicion of payback, but we will see how the trials progress.

[Thac0man]

Also, considering what has happened in Libya, is it more acceptable that the government took serious steps to remove this threat to their authority in the way they did, and given the likelihood that a Spanish group (along with other right-wing foreign groups) might have been behind the whole thing?

That does not make an aweful lot of sense. At this late (very late) stage the Bolivian government has gotten all the evidence it could possibly get, including cooperative statements from accused who survived the raid and extensive documentation belonging to the group. Piles of extra and unsubstanciated claims do not actually equate to evidence. The actual evidence for any of these 'extra' or 'bonus' accusiations simply does not exist. There is little enough evidence to support the Bolivians government origional accusiations, those upon which it acted with lethal force.

[El Libre]

There has not been a post on this thread for months, so interest has clearly waned. However, there appears to have been a significant development in that it has been reported that on 22 November last the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions has called for the release of Elod Toaso on the grounds that his imprisonment without trial for more than 32 months violates his human rights.

Again, it appears that there are two Bolivian legal cases arising from the operation against Eduardo Rozsa Flores's armed group in Bolivia in April 2009, Terrorism Case I relating to organisers and (surviving) participants which is proceeding at a snail's pace, and Terrorism Case II against alleged backers which I think only commenced last year. A report is awaited on the late Michael Dwyer's case from the UN's Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions. There seems also to be a case pending at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

[toxic avenger]

There has not been a post on this thread for months, so interest has clearly waned. However, there appears to have been a significant development in that it has been reported that on 22 November last the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions has called for the release of Elod Toaso on the grounds that his imprisonment without trial for more than 32 months violates his human rights.

Again, it appears that there are two Bolivian legal cases arising from the operation against Eduardo Rozsa Flores's armed group in Bolivia in April 2009, Terrorism Case I relating to organisers and (surviving) participants which is proceeding at a snail's pace, and Terrorism Case II against alleged backers which I think only commenced last year. A report is awaited on the late Michael Dwyer's case from the UN's Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions. There seems also to be a case pending at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

I wouldn't say interest has waned, more that there has been a considerable hiatus - one attested to by the very development you highlight. It is clearly wrong that a man be imprisoned without trial for nearly three years - there is either sufficient evidence to bring him to trial in fairly short order or there isn't (in which case he should at least be released on bail or whatever the Bolivian equivalent is).

In Dwyer's case, there can be no doubt that it was an extra-judicial execution, shoot-to-kill covered by a bullsh1t firefight story so transparent that we had it dismissed within 24 hours of this thread starting. But still we have no answer as to what the hell he was doing there and what he knew of his mates' insurrectionary plans...

[El Libre]

An earlier post of mine cited an Irish Times article dated Sept 28 2011 stating that Mario Tadic had alleged that Venezuelans took part in the operation in Santa Cruz in April 2009 in which Michael Dwyer was killed. The report, by Tom Hennigan, further claimed that there was film of 'uniformed Venezuelan military personnel' in Santa Cruz in 2007.

In a letter to the Irish Times Jan 13 2012 the Venezuelan Ambassador to the UK has claimed that the video 'merely shows some off-duty Venezuelan military personnel walking through a peaceful airport in Bolivia'. Furthermore, he states that 'this video footage has already been the subject of a retraction by the Economist'. The Economist styled its July 2009 piece a 'clarification'.

The Bolivians have claimed that the airfares for Eduardo Rozsa Flores's gang were paid by Santa Cruz separatists, the latter claim that the fares were paid by the Venezuelans. Somebody has been lying on this issue and I'm inclined to think that it is those pointing the finger at the Venezuelans.

[Utopian Hermit Monk]

In Bolivia, the controversy rumbles on. But it has become something of a political football.

CN denuncia ejecución y tortura en el caso Rózsa

Piden investigar torturas y ejecución en el caso Rózsa - El Mundo - Prensa Mayor

[toxic avenger]

Mr Dwyer’s parents Caroline and Martin and his sister Aisling are also seeking a meeting with the EU’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
Ms Dwyer said yesterday the family was frustrated by the time lapse since the killing of her son and the lack of an international investigation into his death.
“We are hoping to further mobilise the European institutions – through the group of Irish MEPs and the high representative’s office – into putting pressure on the Bolivian authorities to provide answers to our questions on the circumstances of Michael’s killing.”...

...

Croatian Mario Tadic and Hungarian Elod Toasa were arrested during the raid and have been held for three years. Their trial is expected to start this month.
Fine Gael Dublin MEP Gay Mitchell last week visited Bolivia as part of the EU’s development committee, met the two prisoners and raised the case with both Bolivia’s foreign minister David Choquehuanca and the country’s vice-president Alvaro Garcia.

Family of man killed in Bolivia to meet MEPs - The Irish Times - Wed, Apr 11, 2012

[toxic avenger]

Family of Michael Dwyer 'will not rest' until independent investigation carried out - RT News

Michael's father Martin said the family is not really confident they will succeed in securing that inquiry.
He said: "We just have to hope that something is going to happen. We don't know how long more it is going to take. If it just lapses like the last three years we're going nowhere.
However, Mrs Dwyer said they would not rest until the goal had been achieved.
One MEP, Gay Mitchell recently visited Bolivia and lobbied senior officials on their behalf.

RTE News at One Interview with the Dwyer family also at that link.