Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has abolished the Ministry of Justice following revelations that its head had concealed a criminal conviction.
Speaking at the presidential palace, Paz highlighted his campaign promise to scrap the ministry, which he claimed had been used by the previous leftist government to persecute political opponents during its 20-year rule.
He declared this decision as fulfilling his pledge to dismantle what he called “the ministry of persecution,” describing it as corrupt and unjust.
The announcement came just hours after a decree was issued replacing Justice Minister Freddy Vidovic with Jorge Franz Garcia.
Vidovic had been under scrutiny following revelations by Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo, who disclosed that he had been convicted of corruption in 2015 and sentenced to three years in prison, making him ineligible for public office.
The corruption case linked Vidovic to favouring a Peruvian businessman who was an advisor to former Peruvian President Ollanta Humala. Authorities have not confirmed whether Vidovic served his sentence.
Vidovic had taken office the day after Paz’s inauguration and was previously the personal lawyer of Bolivia’s Vice President, Edmand Lara.
President Paz did not clarify what role Jorge Franz Garcia would have following the abolition of the Justice Ministry or whether its responsibilities — including liaising with legislative, judicial, and electoral bodies and drafting laws — would be transferred elsewhere.
