Original article: Caso Cerimedo suma nuevo capítulo: denuncian sobornos de representante de EE.UU. en sesión que destituyó al fiscal que investigaba al argentino

New Developments in the Cerimedo Case: Allegations of US Representative Bribery During Dismissal of Investigating Prosecutor

The Cerimedo case, involving the far-right political operator Fernando Cerimedo, has taken a new turn as members of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) reported allegations of bribery by a representative of the United States (U.S.) during a session of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly (ALP) of Bolivia, where Attorney General Roger Mariaca was dismissed while overseeing the investigation into the former advisor of President Rodrigo Paz.

The PCD Senator Ana María Crispín accused the U.S. official, who was accompanied by three other foreigners, one Argentine, of being present in the legislative chamber to ensure the fulfillment of U.S. interests regarding Mariaca’s case.

«A representative from the Americas was there with his laptop, with his QR code, in front of a lawmaker. We caught him in the act, and they locked themselves in an office. They’re not running suitcases; they’re running QR codes. One is from Argentina and another from a different country ensuring U.S. interests are met in this case,” Crispín told the media, as reported by Urgente.bo.

She recounted that when she confronted the individual—later identified as Hermes Grullón—he introduced himself as «a representative of the U.S. embassy» and stated that “from the Shield of the Americas, we are supporting a very important moment for the country.”

According to information published by the National Endowment for Democracy website, Grullón serves as a foreign service officer at the U.S. Department of State.

Crispín accused Grullón of having given bribes to lawmakers to influence their votes in favor of the ruling party’s proposal to remove the Attorney General, who was investigating the Cerimedo case, noting that the U.S. representative displayed a QR code on his phone to a legislator.

Later, the U.S. State Department official claimed that the code was simply to share his WhatsApp contact for facilitating communication through that application.

Attorney General Investigating the Cerimedo Case Removed and Detained

During the session held last Friday, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly (ALP) decided to permanently suspend Roger Mariaca from his role as Attorney General of the State, with 113 votes in favor out of the 128 legislators present in the chamber.

The resolution was approved following the enactment of an amendment to the Public Ministry Law by the government of Rodrigo Paz. This legislation stipulates the suspension of the Attorney General when there is an indictment or a precautionary measure against them.

After the U.S. State Department announced that it had revoked their visas, Mariaca and the district attorney of Santa Cruz, Alberto Zeballos, were intercepted and detained last Wednesday at the Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz.

Simultaneously, other prosecutors were apprehended during operations executed in Santa Cruz as well as in Sucre, Chuquisaca.

The visa revocation and entry ban to the U.S. also affected other current and former Bolivian officials, as well as citizens from Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, under the Shield of the Americas mechanism initiated by former President Donald Trump.

«Mariaca, elected in 2024 for a six-year term as Attorney General during the extreme left government of Luis Arce, and who previously served as Attorney General of Santa Cruz, abused his public office by soliciting and accepting bribes to facilitate drug trafficking and help violent criminals evade justice,” Washington indicated to justify the measure without providing evidence.

Meanwhile, Bolivian justice reported that it is investigating Mariaca for money laundering, drug trafficking, and organized crime, charges he denies.

While investigations are ongoing, the former prosecutor will be held under preventive detention for six months.

Political analyst Vladimir Torrez described the fall of Mariaca as being the «beginning of the implementation of the Shield of the Americas and the weight of U.S. influence in Bolivian politics.”

For political expert Marcelo Arequipa, it signifies that the Bolivian government wants to set aside the case involving Cerimedo, who is currently incarcerated in Chonchocoro prison after being charged by the Bolivian Prosecutor’s Office with the alleged crime of “attempted feminicide,” accused of allegedly sending «hitmen» to kill his ex-partner, lawyer Nadia Beller.

Additionally, the former advisor to President Rodrigo Paz faces open cases for money laundering; domestic violence; and alleged covering of flights related to drug trafficking.