“We are carrying out the last investigations in order to establish the participation of the people that may have helped to commit the acts. We estimate that by mid-February we will be able to present the accusation,” said William Alave, prosecutor for the department of La Paz, who reported that 15 people are being accused, and three of them were detained preemptively.

The case was activated following the denounce by the Deputy Minister of Institutional Transparency and Fight Against Corruption, which began the investigation since January 2023 and formalized its accusation before the Public Ministry.

The main defendant is former Minister of Environment Juan Santos, who, according to the preliminary investigation, carried out multi-million movements with a circle of his subordinates with the aim of acquiring buildings and vehicles. The purchases would have been carried out using resources obtained from payolas collected from companies who appropriated works.

Former officials of the Ministry Alexander S.S. and Viviana B., fromer Deputy Minister Carmelo Valda, former Director of the Program Coordinating and Executing Unit Ricardo A.B., former key witness Claudia C., and others, are among the involved.

Santos was accused of illegal enrichment after the Prosecutor’s Office gathered the facts, with bank transfers made by Santos to this nephew for 297,435 bolivianos (over 42 thousand dollars); the nephew, in turn, transferred 98,557 bolivianos (14 thousand dollars) in favor of Viana B. and others.

The arrest of Santos on charges of corruption confirms the zero-tolerance policy of the government of Bolivia to such activities, in the word of Deputy Minister of Institutional Transparence Susana Ríos.

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