Bolivia files criminal complaint against four former Defense Ministers

The Bolivian government has filed a criminal complaint against 19 individuals, including four former Ministers of Defense, regarding irregularities in the procurement and implementation of a radar system. The investigation alleges an economic loss exceeding Bs 1,478 million.

The accused former ministers include Reymi Ferreira and Javier Zabaleta from the Evo Morales administration, Luis Fernando López from the Jeanine Áñez interim government, and Edmundo Novillo from the Luis Arce administration. The complaint, presented by Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano, is based on an internal audit that identified issues with contracting, contract modifications, guarantees, and equipment functionality.

The project, known as the Integrated Air Defense and Air Traffic Control System (SIDACTA), was originally contracted in 2016 for over 191 million euros. While the original contract stipulated a 31-month delivery period, seven modifications extended the timeline to 82 months, with final demonstrations occurring approximately 98 months after the initial order. The audit noted that despite the “turnkey” nature of the contract, only two radars were reportedly functioning without observations.