President Evo Morales issued a decree which orders the confiscation of the possessions of individuals who are suspected of having financed any acts of terrorism, including owners of media outlets.
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 20 May 2009, President Evo Morales issued Supreme Decree 0138 which orders the confiscation of the possessions of individuals who are suspected of having financed any acts of terrorism. Morales stated that this will also apply to owners of media outlets, whom he qualified as “separatists”.
The minister of the presidency, Juan Ramón Quintana, said during a press conference that the new ruling’s goal is to set up procedures to be followed for the application of precautionary measures as regards personal assets, media outlets or other entities that may have been used to commit acts of terrorism, sedition or armed uprisings against the state.
According to Quintana the measure is preventive. The official denied that the decree is aimed exclusively at the owners of media outlets, but clarified that it will be applied to any citizen linked to any activity that promotes secession.
