The United States accuses Arturo Murillo, Bolivia’s former Minister of the Interior of accepting bribes from American companies and individuals.

The United States has arrested former Bolivian President Jeanine Anez (Jeanine Anez) cabinet minister of the interim government for bribery and money laundering.

in a statement On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice accused the former Secretary of the Interior Arturo Murillo and his former staff Sergio Mendez of “accepting bribes from U.S. companies and individuals to ensure that the Bolivian government Contracts”.

The department accused the couple of “then using the US financial system to launder money.”

The three U.S. citizens were also charged with a bribery plan between November 2019 and April 2020.

The Justice Department said the Americans were accused of paying $602,000 to Bolivian officials to secure a $5.6 million contract to provide tear gas and other non-lethal equipment to the Bolivian Ministry of Defense.

Five men were charged with one count of conspiracy to launder money. If convicted, they will face up to 20 years in prison.

Murillo was also wanted for sedition for his role in the Anez Provisional Government.

After the resignation of Bolivia’s first indigenous president, Evo Morales, in November 2019, Anez resigned due to pressure from some members of the public, armed forces and opposition leaders.

Morale Back to Exiled to Argentina from his Socialist Movement (MAS) party candidate in November last year won The long-awaited presidential election.

Anez and other former officials are Arrested He was accused of a coup in March.She used to be Order She was detained for four months shortly after her arrest.

But Murillo left Bolivia before the arrest warrant.

He played a central role in hunting down Morales and his main supporters on charges of sedition and terrorism, and was criticized for his harsh response to the military and police protest, Dozens of them were killed.

Human rights groups and international observers criticized the Bolivian government for arresting Anez and his minister, and emphasized the importance of due process.