Two newly surfaced recordings featuring Uruguayan drug trafficker Sebastián Marset have plunged Bolivia’s judicial system into one of its most serious corruption scandals in years, culminating in the detention of Attorney General Roger Mariaca and 13 other officials.

The extraordinary crackdown began after videos recorded around the time of Marset’s capture in March resurfaced publicly this week. In the footage, Marset appears to describe Mariaca as a friend and claims that he maintained direct communications with the senior prosecutor. Bolivian authorities subsequently launched a nationwide operation targeting prosecutors, police officers and other officials allegedly connected to a network that protected drug trafficking operations.

The developments have rapidly transformed the Marset case from a major international narcotics investigation into a broader examination of alleged corruption inside Bolivia’s justice and law enforcement institutions.

Marset, one of South America’s most prominent alleged drug traffickers, was captured in Bolivia in March before being extradited to the United States, where he faces federal drug-trafficking and money-laundering charges. His arrest had already placed Bolivia under intense scrutiny because of his previous ability to operate inside the country despite years of international attention surrounding his criminal activities.

The latest controversy was triggered by video and audio recordings apparently made during or shortly after his arrest. In one widely circulated recording, police officers question Marset about his communications with Mariaca. Marset reportedly responds that Mariaca is his “friend” and says they spoke with each other. Other versions of the footage attribute to Marset claims that Mariaca controlled or had influence over the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

However, the recordings themselves do not by themselves establish that the allegations are true. Bolivian media reports have noted that the authenticity, completeness and context of the footage remain........

© Blitz