Guayaramerín drug trafficking raid
One person was killed and four injured when UMOPAR soldiers opened fire in Guayaramerín, Beni Department, on October 26, 1988.(Ultima Hora 1988b) The violence occurred following a civic assembly convened to address abuses by UMOPAR forces who had been stationed in the community for several months. During the assembly, several UMOPAR troops described as appearing in a drunken state entered the municipal hall with weapons for the purpose of intimidation. Residents initiated a march to protest UMOPAR following the assembly. UMOPAR troops, under protection from a military garrison lead by Captain Luis Daza, opened fire on the crowd of civilians from a truck, killing the manager of the Guayaramerín Telephone Cooperative, Roberto Murillo, and injuring four others (Ultima Hora 1988b).
Undersecretary of Social Defence Jorge Alderete blamed the clash on the crowd's aggression, claiming that they were associates of an accused major drug trafficker who had been arrested at a cocaine producing factory discovered in the vicinity two days prior. This accusation continued a government pattern of justifying UMOPAR violence by insisting that civilians were engaged in protecting drug traffickers. The military, however, did not dispute the violent actions of UMOPAR. Information Minister Herman Antelo claimed that there was no evidence of who was to blame for triggering the UMOPAR violence and that there should be an expectation that UMOPAR forces utilize courteous methods (Hoy 1998; Ultima Hora 1988a).
On October 29, the Bolivian government and the Civic Committee of Guayaramerín reached an agreement regarding UMOPAR violence. It entailed the immediate departure of UMOPAR troops from the community, the payment of compensation to victims and their surviving children and families (including the family of Leda Pérez Molina who was beaten by UMOPAR troops), as well as the local prosecution of the accused UMOPAR shooters, Alejandro Aquino and Martín Sapure (Hoy 1988). The presence of US Drug Enforcement Agency in Guayaramerín drew controversy.(Hudson and Hanratty 1991, 212) In reaction, the US withdrew economic support of anti-narcotics operations in Bolivia.(Quintana Taborga 2016, 6:147)