To combat politicization, Molina is removed from Brasília.

Renata Giraldi
Reporter from Agência Brasil

Brasilia – In an attempt to avoid politicizing the case, the defense lawyer for Bolivian Senator Roger Pinto Molina, 53, has moved the parliamentarian out of Brasilia. Molina has been at a farm in Goiás, on the outskirts of the federal capital, since this weekend and will remain there until the Brazilian government defines his situation. Lawyer Fernando Tibúrcio Peña told Agência Brasil that the "effort now" is to keep the discussion at a technical and legal level.

"The senator is in good health and confident that his situation as a political asylum seeker will soon be resolved by the Brazilian government. He wants his asylum rights to be guaranteed," said Tibúrcio. "But what worries us, and why he will be out of Brasília for a few days, is the politicization of the case, which could hinder the technical and legal debate."

The lawyer pointed out that Article 6 of the 1954 Convention on Territorial Asylum, signed by Brazil, guarantees the freedom of asylum seeker, including freedom of expression and movement. In the article, the asylum seeker is treated as an "individual [who] is persecuted." According to Tibúrcio, this is the case of Pinto Molina, who claims to be suffering threats from Bolivian authorities.

Tibúrcio added that the expectation is that in the coming days the government will define Pinto Molina's refugee status and officially grant him political asylum. Following that, according to the lawyer, the congressman intends to go to Acre, where his wife and daughters are. "He talks a lot about seeing his family again, as it has been more than a year since he last saw them."

A week ago, Pinto Molina left the Brazilian Embassy in Bolivia, where he had served for 455 days. The senator's removal from the embassy by the Brazilian Chargé d'Affaires (equivalent to a temporary ambassador) in Bolivia, Eduardo Saboia, triggered a political crisis, leading to the replacement of then-Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota by Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado.

Saboia assumed responsibility for overseeing the Bolivian's withdrawal. However, according to sectors of the government, since the decision was apparently made on a personal basis, there was a breach of hierarchy. Meanwhile, the government of Bolivian President Evo Morales treats Pinto Molina as a suspect in more than 20 crimes involving corruption and embezzlement of public funds.

In an interview with Agência Brasil, the Bolivian senator denied involvement in the financial crimes and said he was a "political persecutee" for defending the right of the opposition to have a voice in Bolivia. For Bolivian authorities, Pinto Molina's departure from the country was an escape.

Morales requested the "return" of Pinto Molina. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Agência Brasil today (1st) that, so far, it has not received any document from the Bolivian government requesting the return of the parliamentarian. The senator stayed until last Friday (30) temporarily in Brasília, at his lawyer's house, in Lago Norte, an upscale neighborhood in the city.

Edition: Adjutant Grace