NationStates Jolt Archive

President Rodriguez sacks General Antezana.
BBC Wednesday, 18 January 2006

Bolivia's outgoing President Eduardo Rodriguez has sacked the army chief and ordered a probe into the destruction in the US of some 30 missiles in October.

Gen Antezana had said he was responsible for the decision.
Mr Rodriguez said he had been told the ageing Chinese missiles posed a safety risk and had authorised American help with their decommissioning.

But, he said, the army should not have sent them out of the country.

At the time, Evo Morales - who will take office on Sunday - had called it a US plot to weaken Bolivian defences.

Mr Morales' party had threatened to impeach President Rodriguez over the deactivation of the surface-to-air missiles, but correspondents says it has backed away from the threat recently.

President Rodriguez said on Tuesday he would seek clarification from Washington about the episode.

Defence Minister Gonzalo Mendez has resigned so his role can be investigated.

Army chief General Marcelo Antezana will face disciplinary proceedings after he published a letter in several newspapers, demanding that the government release the documents pertaining to the decommissioning.

In October, he had issued a declaration saying he was the sole person responsible for the decision.

But last week, he appeared to reject any responsibility and hinted that there had been American pressure for the missiles to be taken to a US base.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4623424.stm

Hehe, he said probe.

So the guy changes his story and points the figure at the Great Satan because his ass is on the line now?

Meh, nothing new here...

Ahhh, good old anti-American bias, ignoring all other facts. Never change, do you OD?

So, ancient missiles get taken out of the country to be destroyed by the US, most likely at their expense, and now the out-going President wants to look tough by blaming the US, as anyone can these days. Why exactly does the removal and destruction of thirty aging Chinese missiles represent an attempt to leave Bolivia defenceless? Or was that Bolivia's only defense?

Meh, nothing new here...dude..
a Bolivian President Sacking a General... THAT IS FUCKING NEW...

never ever seen that shiite before...

It has always been the fat General sacking the elected President...

-You have just failed your Bolivian.Politics.101 exam- :D :D :p :D

Ahhh, good old anti-American bias, ignoring all other facts. Never change, do you OD?

So, ancient missiles get taken out of the country to be destroyed by the US, most likely at their expense, and now the out-going President wants to look tough by blaming the US, as anyone can these days. Why exactly does the removal and destruction of thirty aging Chinese missiles represent an attempt to leave Bolivia defenceless? Or was that Bolivia's only defense?only defense? Nah... They also have some WW2 planes..tanks.. and some AK47s.. :D

but it was likely their most modern anti-Air missiles.. I think the Pentagon should replace them.

and if the Pantagon does not replace them.. I would put the General (and everyone involved) in Jail.. with some sex starved brutally big inmates.. :D :D :p :D

dude..*snips*I has always been the fat General sacking the elected President...
Ok, I'm giggling like a schoolgirl, here...

Morales purges Bolivian military after missile saga
Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:08 PM GMT173

LA PAZ, Bolivia (Reuters) - Bolivian President Evo Morales reshuffled the military high command on Tuesday, stamping his authority on a top brass badly tarnished by a scandal over the destruction of Bolivian missiles in the United States.
...
"I regret the information we've been receiving for months about the disarming of the armed forces. I haven't taken any action against members of the armed forces, only against the leaders. Now is the time to investigate," said Morales before swearing in the new military and police chiefs.

At the height of campaigning for the December 18 election that he went on to win, Morales denounced irregularities in the transfer of the country's only missiles to the United States for disposal -- fuelling anti-U.S. sentiment in impoverished Bolivia and raising concerns the government had little control over the military.
...
The scandal prompted Morales's predecessor to sack the head of the army and put several generals under investigation.

The former army chief had told local media Washington pushed for the destruction of the weapons because it feared Morales would win December's presidential poll. He retracted his comments soon afterward.
...
Washington is wary of Morales, a former coca farmer who has resisted its coca eradication policy in Bolivia, the world's third-largest cocaine producer.
...
"After the whole missiles affair, the high command was left seriously discredited," said a political analyst, who asked not to be named. "There's no risk in what the president has done because he has a big margin for action, he has backing."