Bolivia demands return of senator who fled to Brazil

[Judi Lynn]

8. Brazil admits infringing on Bolivian sovereignty in aiding senator's escape

Brazil admits infringing on Bolivian sovereignty in aiding senator's escape
English.news.cn 2013-08-29 07:43:04

BRASILIA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A top Brazilian official said on Wednesday that his country's role in helping a Bolivian senator escape justice infringed on its neighbor's sovereignty and caused "a great problem."

"You can't abet someone's departure from a country by damaging its sovereignty," said Gilberto Carvalho, minister of the general secretariat of the presidency. "You have the right to pressure, negotiate, discuss, but not to do that. The Brazilian government is really bothered" by the incident.

Bolivian senator Roger Pinto Molina, who had been holed up at Brazil's embassy in La Paz for 15 months in an attempt to seek asylum, was spirited out of the country over the weekend by Brazil 's charge d'affaires, Eduardo Saboia, who admitted to acting alone in planning and undertaking the getaway.

Bolivia has asked Brazil to hand over the fugitive senator. The incident led to the resignation of Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota.

The right-wing senator, who was convicted of defrauding the state of 1.7 million U.S. dollars and other corruption charges, first sought asylum at the Brazilian embassy on May 28, 2012, claiming he was a victim of political persecution by the leftist government. Brazil granted him asylum late last year.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-08/29/c_132671914.htm