Porvenir Massacre

The Porvenir Massacre (also, El Porvenir Massacre, Pando Massacre) was a deadly ambush in the early hours of September 11, 2008, allegedly organized by Prefectural authorities of the Bolivian Department of Pando, as part of a civil coup d'état against the government of Evo Morales by members of the right-wing civic movement. As a result of the ambush, 19 indigenous protesters of the municipality of El Porvenir died that day.

It was the most deadly act of political violence in Bolivia since 2003. The protesters were marching to the departmental capital of Cobija to protest departmental government actions during a national political crisis. An investigation by UNASUR found the massacre to be a crime against humanity.^[2]

Background

Recall Referendum

On August 10, 2008, a recall referendum was held in Bolivia on the mandates of President Evo Morales, his Vice-president Alvaro Garcia Linera and eight of the nine regional prefects. Evo Morales won the referendum with a 67% "yes" vote, and he and Garcia Linera were ratified in post.^[3] Two of the prefects, both aligned with the political opposition in the country, failed to gain enough support and had their mandates recalled with new prefects to be elected in their place.^[3] The elections were monitored by over 400 observers, including election observers from the Organization of American States, European Parliament and Mercosur.^[3]

Alleged civil coup attempt

After Morales' victory in the recall referendum, the Morales' government claimed that right wing forces led by Ruben Costas, Mario Cossio, Leopoldo Fernandez and Ernesto Suarez with the backing of the US Ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg decided to ignore the result of the vote and on September 2008, launched a civil coup d'état, seizing public building and airports in the Departments of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, Tarija; attacking government officials and Morales supporters, and calling for civil disobedience.

Event

In the early hours of September 11, 2008, a protest was organized by Prefectural authorities of the Bolivian Department of Pando, As a result of the ambush, near the city of Cobija, 19 protesters of the municipality of El Porvenir died that day.

It was the most deadly act of political violence in Bolivia since 2003. The protesters were marching to the departmental capital of Cobija to protest departmental government actions during a national political crisis. An investigation by UNASUR found the massacre to be a crime against humanity.^[2]

Judicial Action

The event culminated in the spectacular arrest in September of the Prefect of Pando, Leopoldo Fernández, for the departmental government's role in the massacre^[4] of backers of President Evo Morales.

Prosecutors (of the Ministerio Público) presented indictments against 26 people, including Fernández, before the Sixth Sentencing Tribunal (Tribunal Sexto de Sentencia) on 12 October 2009. Scheduled trial proceedings include a jury selection lottery on 20 May 2010, the empaneling of the jury on 26 May, and the beginning of the trial itself on 8 June.^[5] The defendants are: Leopoldo Fernández Ferreira, Jorge Lengua Áñez, Olman Pino Soria, Rosendo Domínguez Deromides, Melitón Brito Ferreira, Homer Polanco Ventura, Felsin Fernández Medina, William Musuco Rodríguez, Ronald Musuco Rodríguez, Néstor Da Silva Rivero, Danilo Huari Cartagena, William Terrazas López, Juan Marcelo Mejido Flores, Abel Janco Cáceres, Adhemar Herrera Guerra, Hugo Apaza Sahonero, Felipe Vigabriel Villarroel, Máximo Aillón Martínez, Agapito Vira Cuéllar, Oswaldo Valdivia Avariega, Nilma Banegas Becerra, Hugo Mopi Soliz, Herman Justiniano Negrete, Marcial Peña Toyama, Roberto Rea Ruiz, Wilson Da Silva Ramallo y Evin Ventura Voght.^[6]

The massacre is the subject of a 2010 documentary by César Brie, Morir en Pando ("To Die in Pando").

References

1. ↑ UNASUR Comisión para el Esclarecimiento de los Hechos de Pando (November 2008). "Infome de la Comisión de UNASUR sobre los Sucesos de Pando.". UNASUR. Retrieved 2010-01-24. 
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Comisión de UNASUR y Calificación de la Masacre de Bolivia, December 5, 2008.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Bolivia Information Forum News
4. ↑ Chavez, Franz (2008-09-16). "Governor Arrested for "Porvenir Massacre"". Inter Press Service. Retrieved 2009=01-27.  Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
5. ↑ "El juicio de Leopoldo Fernández se realizará a las 10.00 el 8 de junio", La Prensa, 29 April 2010.
6. ↑ "Fijan nueva fecha de inicio del juicio oral contra Leopoldo Fernández", Erbol, 28 April 2010.