Defense: Bolivia searched a Brazilian Air Force plane in 2011.
The Brazilian Ministry of Defense released a statement denying that a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft was searched in Bolivia last year, but the ministry admits, in the same statement, that at the end of October 2011, there was a violation of the immunity of a FAB plane in Bolivia carrying Minister Celso Amorim; the issue of the violation has been in the spotlight since the plane of Bolivian President Evo Morales underwent flight restrictions and a search in Europe, on suspicion of harboring former NSA technician Edward Snowden.
Marcelo Brandão
Reporter from Agência Brasil
Brasilia – The Ministry of Defense today (16) released a statement denying that a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft was searched last year in Bolivia. In the same statement, however, the ministry admits that, at the end of October 2011, there was a violation of the immunity of a FAB aircraft in Bolivia. At the time, Bolivian authorities, without authorization from the Minister of Defense, Celso Amorim, inspected the aircraft used by him on an official engagement in the city of La Paz.
The ministry's press office was unable to provide a reason for the Bolivian government's action at the time, but explained that a complaint note had been sent to that country. "In the document, the embassy stated that the repetition of such abusive procedures would lead to Brazil applying the principle of reciprocity." According to the ministry, there have been no reports of similar violations since the incident in 2011.
Regarding the alleged inspection of a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) plane in Santa Cruz de la Sierra last October, the ministry says the information is unfounded. "The information that the FAB plane used on this official trip on October 3, 2012, was inspected by Bolivian authorities at the Santa Cruz de La Sierra airport is incorrect," the statement reads.
According to a news report published by the newspaper Valor Econômico, the Bolivian government detained and searched the plane used by Minister Celso Amorim, who was returning from the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. According to the report, the reason for the search was the suspicion that Bolivian Senator Roger Pinto, an opponent of President Evo Morales, was on board.
Editing: Nadia Franco