Weekly Report - 18 May 2004

The Bolivian military high command appears to have got what it wanted: an immediate escape hatch that will block four officers from being prosecuted in a civilian court, and a longer-term guarantee that their own courts will have precedence over the civilian ones. Though throughout all this politicians have taken to calling each other golpista (coup-monger), the coup itself - against a ruling by the constitutional court [WR-04-18] - has apparently succeeded.