06.13.08
US grants political asylum to Berzain
From The Week:
Thousands of Bolivians marched on the U.S. Embassy this week after learning that America has granted political asylum to a former defense minister implicated in the deaths of 60 people. Carlos Sanchez Berzain, now a resident of Key Biscayne, Fla., was in charge of the nation’s military in 2003, when soldiers opened fire on Aymara Indians protest their “marginalization” at the hands of the government. After Berzain revealed last week that he had been granted U.S. asylum, and so could not be extradited, Bolivian President Evo Morales filed a strong protest.
“We want the United States to help us bring to justice those who have done so much harm to Bolivia,” Morales said. Philip Goldberg, the U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, deflected comment, saying that Bersain’s status was up to the “independent judicial branch in the United States.”
