Former Bolivian interior minister receives stiff jail sentence for bribes

[Judi Lynn]

Bolivia's Government Minister Arturo Murillo is seen after a press conference in La Paz, Bolivia, January 3, 2020. Photo
By —
Joshua Goodman, Associated Press

Jan 4, 2023 8:13 PM EST
MIAMI (AP) — A former Bolivian interior minister was sentenced to nearly six years in U.S. prison Wednesday for taking at least $532,000 in bribes to help a Florida company win a lucrative contract to sell tear gas to his country’s government.

Arturo Murillo pleaded guilty in October to a single count of conspiracy to commit money laundering following similar guilty pleas entered by his former chief of staff and three men tied to the Florida-based supplier of police and military equipment he tried to favor.

. . .

He has a long history of far-right provocation. As a congressman, he supported a ban on abortion by once telling women that they should commit suicide by jumping from a five-story building if they wanted to terminate a pregnancy. As interior minister, he referred to opponents as “narco-terrorists,” brought charges against Morales for sedition and led the deadly police response against protesters that drew rebuke from international human rights groups.

. . .

He also bragged about meeting with the CIA when he traveled to Washington to meet with senior officials in the Trump administration who initially viewed Áñez’s ascent as an opportunity to improve relations that turned hostile under Morales.

More:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/former-bolivian-interior-minister-receives-stiff-jail-sentence-for-bribes