Mayo 29, 2005
Putting 2 + 2 Together?
There seems to not have been even a peep to come from the self-described “Frente Nacional Anticorrupción” since they claimed responsibility for the dynamite blast in Santa Cruz on May 14. Were they a bunch of amateurs wanting to make some national noise or have they been in the spotlight all along?
The broadcasted video which outlined their demands gave the government 15 days to act. Priority was given to the full nationalization of the Hydrocarbons. Coincidentally, this deadline has coincided with a D-day announced by one of the 2 Lt. Colonels which recently called for a military-civic government to take charge.
Even thought the Armed Forces acted swiftly by “forcibly retiring” the two junior officers, Julio Herrera and Julio Cesar Galindo, it does not seem like a huge consequence for the two who claimed to be part of a larger plot to replace the government.
Herrera gave an exclusive interview with the Mexican newspaper “Reforma” where the date May 31 was a key historical reference. Next Tuesday, which comes, give or take 15 days, after the initial dynamite blast in Santa Cruz, may or may not seem strictly coincidental.
The interview was covered by a Peruvian newspaper, where Herrera talked a bit of the impending change in government.
Some clips:
“We have had advanced conversations with 3 Latin American countries, Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela, that have known about this project for the past 30 days.”
“The international community will not isolate us because our government will work with honesty, hard work and human sensibility towards the dispossessed class”
He reiterated that one of the first measures the military movement will take is the “nationalization of the hydrocarbons”, because with that they will recuperate “the sovereignty and dignity of its natural resources”, dissolve Parliament and the convocation of the Constituent Assembly.
It’s hard to say whether the two are bluffing and whether or not they have the support they claim. Nevertheless, one of the 2, Galindo has a shady past as outlined in the website: FAB Extraoficial. Among their indiscretions include 36 arrests including being arrested for 24 hours a whopping 21 times. Both are still wanted by the government for immediate arrest.
Posted by eduardo at Mayo 29, 2005 07:33 PM