Boliviagate: Argentine documents show far larger post-coup weapons shipment than previously known
Documents uncovered in Argentina's National Controlled Materials Agency (ANMaC) show that the shipment of munitions and tear gas shipped to Bolivia following that country's 2019 coup was far larger than previously known - and included lethal weaponry.
An ANMaC permit, dated November 12, 2019 - just two days after the coup against Bolivian President Evo Morales - included 70,000 AT-12/70 crowd control (rubber bullet) cartridges; 100 Mk-9 tear gas spray canisters; and 661 CN, CS, and HC gas grenades.
A Bolivian Air Force letter (November 13) presented yesterday by Bolivian Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta had revealed a shipment of 40,000 rubber bullet cartridges and only one-fifth as much tear gas as detailed in Argentine documents uncovered today.
Another ANMaC permit (November 11) detailed a shipment of semiautomatic pistols, repeating shotguns, automatic carbines, machine guns and rifles - as well as over 8,000 ammunition of different calibers, bulletproof vests, helmets, ballistic shields and night visors.
At least ten Argentine Gendarmerie (militarized police) officials were likewise sent to Bolivia after the coup - which was publicly backed by the right-wing Argentine President at the time, Mauricio Macri.
The documents were uncovered in an internal probe ordered by Argentine Security Minister Sabina Frederic following the complaint made by Bolivia's current President Luis Arce - who was elected in a landslide and took office last November following the year-long Jeanine Áñez regime.
Over 800 protesters were injured and at least 33 were killed by Bolivian security forces in the aftermath of 2019 coup.
At: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&u=https://www.minutouno.com/politica/golpe-estado-bolivia/macri-mando-los-golpistas-bolivianos-armas-automaticas-fusiles-70-mil-cartuchos-antidisturbios-y-8-mil-municiones-n5218819
Former Bolivian President Evo Morales (left) chats with his Argentine counterpart at the time, Mauricio Macri, in 2018.
Morales' 2019 overthrow was publicly backed by Macri - whom Argentine and Bolivian documents now show to have shipped a large cache of lethal and non-lethal weapons, munitions and other matériel to the post-coup Bolivian regime.
Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno - who, like Macri, was a close Trump ally - was likewise recently revealed to have shipped munitions to Bolivia following the 2019 coup.
