The Bolivian Government Cannot Hide Ahmad Vahidi
Sometimes governments get caught doing something so stupid that as hard as they try, they can’t sweep it under the rug. This was the situation in Bolivia in relation to the recent visit to Bolivia by the controversial Ahmad Vahidi, Iran’s defense minister. Vahidi has been wanted by Interpol since 2009 for being one of the masterminds of the AMIA bombing. AMIA (Argentine Israelite Mutual Association) was bombed on the morning of July 18, 1994, causing the deaths of 85 innocent people (including six Bolivians) and wounding over 300.
Bolivia and its ideological allies, Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, and Nicaragua, have been busily making friends with the Iranian government for some time now. Vahidi was invited by the Bolivian government to inaugurate the Escuela de Defensa de los Ejércitos de la ALBA (Alianza Bolivariana para los Pueblos de América) [The School of Defense of the Armies of the Bolivarian Alliance for the People of the Américas]. ALBA supposedly was formed in response to other organizations where participation by Latin American countries with close ties to the U.S. predominates.
The circumstances surrounding Vahidi’s visit are not clear. What is clear is that he was officially invited by the Bolivian government to attend two functions including the defense school’s inauguration. However, when he arrived in Bolivia, the Argentine prosecutor of the AMIA bombing, Alberto Nisman, contacted the head of Bolivian Interpol in La Paz, Coronel Andrés Zapata, to complain about Vahidi’s presence in Bolivia. Cnl. Zapata said that he couldn’t take action until he clarified that the Interpol warrant was current. Vahidi, who appeared on the morning of May 31 at the first official event, stood between President Evo Morales and Bolivian Minister of Defense María Cecilia Chacon. However, Vahidi missed the actual inauguration that afternoon because he was on a plane back to Iran.
The official Bolivian version is that Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca was informed that Vahidi was wanted by Interpol and after reviewing the situation immediately expelled Vahidi from the country and apologized profusely to Argentine Foreign Minister Héctor Timmerman. However, recent information given by Bolivian Minister of Justice Nilda Copa shows that Bolivia did not expel anyone. Vahidi got an order from Tehran to return immediately to his own country.
The Bolivian gov’t can hide anyone and do whatever they want.
Why?
1; Chavez is pulling the strings. We all know that Chavez is untouchable.
2; Obama is happy to allow the iranians to train/fund terrorists in LA.
3; Iranians are untouchable.
Thanks to Obama, the bay of pigs will look like 3 year olds playing in a sandbox, compared to what Iran is planning.
I wouldn’t call the relationship “tense” between Chile and Bolivia, unfriendly maybe, but there have not been any armed conflicts for a long time, and if any were to develop, I would say that it would be short and nasty for Bolivia, they are no match militarily for Chile. An almost nonexistent air force and mechanized force versus one of the best equipped and modern armed forces in South America, I think not.
I think you are correct in that Bolivia is no match for Chile militarily.
However, the wild card is Chavez. He will step up to the plate to help defend Bolivia.
I am not saying the outcome would not be in Chile’s favor, just that the dynamics would change a bit.
I know Chavez has been spending on weapons like a drunk sailor on payday, but do they have any capacity to project force as far south as Bolivia and Chile? He can probably send Evo guns, but direct intervention would be beyond him.
What’s interesting is, with the election of Humala in Peru, we have another Lefty fan of Chavez and Castro coming to power. Given Peru’s testy history with Chile (that is, getting their butts kicked by Santiago in 2 or 3 wars), I wonder if we’ll see a revival of the 19th century Peruvian-Bolivian anti-Chile alliance? Didn’t work too well for them, last time.
Listen: the dynamics are changing-Ollanta Humala- a belligerant, chavist style military figure was just elected President in Peru. Chile has three neighbors-Bolivia, Peru & Argentina and has had territorial disputes with all three. The problems with Peru & Bolivia probbaly are not going to go away without a military backed solution. Chavez will be gunning for Colombia for sure. The muslims have billions and have latin America in their sights for proselytizing and terrorism. Bush turned his back on Latin America & should have stepped in back in 2002 to assure the coup against Chavez. Bush had a golden moment to push for massive efforts to make the US energy independent but he squandered it. Now we have Obama-a traitor to our country. We should have deported muslims a long time ago but we refuse to face the truth about this political-religious-totalitarian creed that seeks domination and gets the power to wage its struggle with a badly dependent US that sends boatload of dollars to them daily. Let´s not worry about global warming but worry about turning a declining America around.
The Bolivian government CAN do whatever they want because we’ll ignore or support any regime based on business issues. If we based our policies on things like, say, support for the First Amendment we’d be able to divide the world logically into free and NOT free. There is no reason to support any regime with visas for their people, aid, military support of any kind if they don’t support the proven foundations of real freedom. We ain’t learned that so we’ll live with the dogs. Fleas, too.
We the people of the US understand this logical thought.
However, those in Washington only understand how they can profit from their positions.
Did the bolivian gov.ignore the Vahidi status on the Interpol red notice?
I doubt it.
To clear your doubt, Carlos (comment No. 4),
Here is the official site of Interpol showing the -red- notice:
http://www.interpol.int/public/data/wanted/notices/data/2007/57/2007_49957.asp (Re-accessed, 8 June 2011).
And, Carlos, tienes razón – you are right:they -decided- to ignore it….
Thanks Carlos,its a good note.I wrote on:http://hosreport.blogspot.com/2011/05/el-vahidi-tour.html
The red notice cannot be ignored by the bolivian gov.Es un escandalo sin la debida explicacion a la Argentina.
Now,if this well know visitor can traveled into the vecinities and borders,what can we espect on the unknows visitors in the region?
This is serious design and menace for us,Argentina and other countries.
It is no accident that Bolivia also recognizes a Palestinian state.
Oh come on guys where did the nazi party run to after the war? South America and you wonder why the Bolivians are doing what they are doing. They just started up the nazi party again where all can see, in Egypt And here we thought we won the war! France is making a mockery of the D-DAY invasion, thanks obama.