Notorious Graduates from Bolivia

Miguel Alvarez Delgado, 1977 Joint Operations
Links to drug trafficking: Accused in the "Narconavales" case of
cashing checks that came from a drug-trafficking ring. The proceedings
against him were stayed in 1997. (Andean Information Network)

Luis Arce G?mez, 1958, Communications Officer; 1958, Tactical Officer,
Radio Repair
Armed insurrection (convicted), 1980: With Garcia Meza Tejada, Arce
G?mez plotted and executed a bloody coup, which occurred on July 17,
1980. (Garcia Meza became "president" and Arce G?mez minister of the
Interior.) Prior to the coup, Arce G?mez was in charge of assembling a
paramilitary force to overthrow the government. (One of his recruits was
Klaus Barbie.) (Americas Watch Report, Bolivia: The Trial of
Responsibilities: The Garcia Meza Tejada Trial, 1993)
Drug trafficking (convicted), 1989: Arce G?mez, who was declared a
fugitive from justice in 1986, was captured by
Bolivian police in 1989. With the approval of the Bolivian government,
he was handed over to the United States and is
currently serving a 30-year sentence in Miami for drug-trafficking.
(Americas Watch Report, Bolivia: The Trial of Responsibilities: The
Garcia Meza Tejada Trial, 1993)

GEN Hugo Banzer Su?rez, 1956, Motor Officer Course; 1988, SOA “Hall of
Fame”; 1989, Guest Speaker
Military dictator, 1971-78: Achieved power by means of a violent coup.
Developed the "Banzer Plan" to silence
outspoken members of the Church; the plan became a blueprint for
repression throughout Latin America. Also known for
sheltering Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie, "The Butcher of Lyons," and
for supporting and collaborating with Garcia
Meza's regime. (Americas Watch Report, Bolivia: The Trial of
Responsibilities: The Garcia Meza Tejada Trial, 1993; The Atlanta
Journal Constitution, 10/30/88)

Grover Bilbao Terrazas, 1967 Cadet Course
Drug-trafficking: Accused and sentenced in the "Narcoavion" case (1995)
as a drug supplier. (Andean Information Network)

Luis Caballero Tirado, 1990
Mistreatment of prisoners: When the president of the Human Rights
Commission visited the headquarters of UMOPAR (Mobil Rural Patrol
Units), he discovered 93 detainees, including two minors and one
prisoners with fractured ribs and a punctured lung from being kicked by
UMOPAR agents under Caballeros’ command. Caballero has also publicly
admitted that 40% of the operations carried out under his command
involve human rights violations such as excessive use of force.
(Violaciones a los derechos humanos civiles bajo la ley 1008, Red Andina
de Informaci?n, 1996)

Isaac Chavarria Diez de Medina, 1968 Cadet Course; 1970 Officer Gen.
Supply
Drug-trafficking: Primary defendant in the "Narcovinculos" case
(1994-6). Died in 1995 in a La Paz jail due to lack of medical
attention. (Andean Information Network)

CPT Gonzalo Cuellar Justinio, 1990, General Staff Officer Course
Mistreatment of prisoners, 1990: Cuellar Justinio has been charged with
illegal detention of prisoners, assault,
soliciting pay-offs in exchange for releases, forcing prisoners to sign
false confessions. (Andean Information Network)

GEN Mario Escobari Guerra, 1959, Engineer Officer Course
Issuing unconstitutional decrees (convicted) in cooperation with armed
insurrection, 1980: Convicted in April 1993
signing for unconstitutional decrees in cooperation with Garcia Meza.
(Bolivian Supreme Court Document: Sentencia Pronunciada en los
Juicios de Responsabilidad Seguidos por el Ministerio P?blico y
Coaduvantes Contra Luis Garcia Meza y sus Colaboradores, April 12, 1993)

Carlos Fernandez Gonzalez, 1961, Military Intelligence
Links to drug trafficking: Fernandez Gonzalez was relieved of his
position as Undersecretary of the Interior under the government of Lidia
Gueiler (1980) due to concrete evidence of his links to drug
trafficking. Later he regained his image and was named President of the
National Council for the Struggle Against Drug-Trafficking. However, in
1983, he was accused of involvement with the disappearance of 150 kilos
of cocaine. He also was relieved of his duties as head of the Special
Security Forces of the Ministry of Interior after he was accused of
covering up drug-trafficking. (Andean Information Network)

Ruben Dario Guzm?n Hurtado, 1970, Small Unit Warfare
Issuing unconstitutional decrees and fraud (convicted) in cooperation
with armed insurrection, 1980: Guzm?n
Hurtado was sentenced in April 1993 on charges related to Garcia Meza's
1980 coup. (Bolivian Supreme Court Document: Sentencia Pronunciada en
los Juicios de Responsabilidad Seguidos por el Ministerio P?blico y
Coaduvantes Contra Luis Garcia Meza y sus Colaboradores, April 12, 1993)

CPT Carlos Helguero Larrea, 1970, Small Unit Warfare
Armed insurrection (implicated), 1980: Implicated in cases of murder
committed in association with the Garcia Meza
coup in 1980. (Bolivian Supreme Court Document: Sentencia Pronunciada en
los Juicios de Responsabilidad Seguidos por el Ministerio P?blico y
Coaduvantes Contra Luis Garcia Meza y sus Colaboradores, April 12, 1993)

Pablo Oswaldo Justiniano Vaca, 1986, Comando y Estado Mayor
Drug trafficking: Primary defendant in the "Narconavales" case, accused
of running a drug trafficking ring in the Navy since 1975. Detained in
1995. Also implicated in the exchange of Brazilian tin for cocaine in
1989. (Andean Information Network).

Freddy Lopez Arispe, 1962, Infantry Officer Course
Illegal arms trafficking: Detained in 1993 on charges of arms
trafficking to the ex-Yugoslavia. (Andean Information Network).

CPT Tito Monta?o Belzu, 1970, Small Unit Warfare
Armed Insurrection, murder (convicted), 1980: Paramilitarist Monta?o
Belzu was sentenced (on April 21, 1993) to 30
years in prison for murder, and 20 years for genocide, in connection
with Garcia Meza's bloody 1980 coup. (Americas Watch Report, Bolivia:
The Trial of Responsibilities: The Garcia Meza Tejada Trial, 1993)

COL Avelino Rivero Parada, 1977, Joint Operations
Issuing unconstitutional decrees (convicted) in cooperation with armed
insurrection, 1980: Convicted in April 1993
for signing unconstitutional cooperation with Garcia Meza - Including
annulments of democratic elections, abnegation of
trade union rights, purging university teaching and administrative
staff, illegal purchases of land, vehicles and aircraft for
the armed forces, and dismissal and replacement of the Bolivian Supreme
Court. Rivero Parada was minister of public
health and social security under Garcia Meza. (Americas Watch Report,
Bolivia: The Trial of Responsibilities: The Garcia Meza Tejada Trial,
1993)

LTC Freddy Quiroga-Reque, 1980, Joint Operations Course
Armed insurrection, murder (convicted), 1980: Sentenced (on April 21,
1993) to 30 years in prison for murder in
connection with Garcia Meza's bloody 1980 coup (Americas Watch Report,
Bolivia: The Trial of Responsibilities: The Garcia Meza Tejada Trial,
1993)

Vice-Admiral Alberto Saenz Klinsky, 1973, "O-4"
Minister under Garcia Meza: Saenz Klinsky was a member of Garcia Meza's
second cabinet, but was never formally
charged with issuing unconstitutional decrees. (Americas Watch Report,
Bolivia: The Trial of Responsibilities: The Garcia Meza Tejada Trial,
1993)

COL Rogelio Vargas, 1990, General Staff Officer Course
Mistreatment of prisoners, 1990: 240 prisoners were beaten, denied food,
forced to stay on their knees for hours on
November 7, 1990. (Andean Information Network)

GEN Guido Vildoso Calder?n, 1962, Infantry Weapons and Tactics
Military dictator, 1982: Achieved power by military appointment. (The
Washington Post, 5/19/94)