Overview
- President Rodrigo Paz signed a decree naming Jorge Franz García Pinto as justice minister, replacing Freddy Vidovic 11 days after his swearing-in.
- Bolivia’s Supreme Court confirmed Vidovic’s 2015 sentence related to aiding the evasion of Martín Belaunde, prompting his removal from office.
- Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo said people with confirmed sentences cannot hold public posts and noted the conviction did not appear in criminal background records.
- Before his ouster, Vidovic acknowledged the case on Facebook but alleged torture and irregularities, claims not addressed by officials in detail.
- The dismissal deepened strains between Paz and Vice President Edman Lara, whose allies plan a Friday march after criticizing a new Legislative Coordination Vice Ministry as encroaching on vice-presidential powers.