The government of Bolivia has contacted the International Criminal Court in The Hague to indict former President Morales for “crimes against humanity”. That is what interim president Jeanine Anez has said Twitter announced. The charges revolve around massive roadblocks last month.
According to the government, Morales is guilty of “terrorism and genocide” because of the blockades, which lasted 12 days. Hospitals complained that they could not get urgent medical supplies for corona patients. According to Anez, more than 40 people would have died because of a lack of oxygen to treat them.
Morales, who lives in exile in Argentina, had called on his supporters to exert pressure on the authorities in an effort to avoid postponement of the elections, including roadblocks. The elections were initially scheduled to take place in May, but were postponed to September 6 and then to October 18.
‘Dirty war’
While the protests failed to prevent the election from being postponed, Bolivia’s main union called for the roadblocks to be lifted after the government passed a law preventing further postponement after October. During the blockade, 142 roadblocks in the country prevented trucks from delivering oxygen to hospitals, the government said.
Morales was last month charged in Bolivia for sexual abuse of a minor. According to the former president, this is part of a “dirty war” by the current conservative government against his socialist party MAS, one of the main contenders in the October elections.
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