Juan del Granado
Encyclopedia
Juan del Granado is a Bolivian human-rights lawyer and politician, mayor of La Paz
(2000-2010) and founder of the Without Fear Movement
(Movimiento Sin Miedo, MSM), a progressive political party. He is a relative of poet Javier del Granado
and the husband of Miriam Marcela Revollo Quiroga, an MSM Deputy in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.
He is known as John the Fearless (“Juan Sin Miedo”) for achieving in 1993 the first-ever successful prosecution of a Latin American dictator in the ordinary courts for crimes committed in office.
Bolivia’s Supreme Court sentenced Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada
, the "cocaine dictator," to 30 years in jail without parole or remission for murder, theft, fraud and subverting the constitution.
Despite its brevity, Garcia Meza's rule became notorious for its links to the cocaine trade and its use of paramilitary squads run by fascist mercenaries from Italy, Germany, France, Chile and Argentina. At least 50 people died, over 20 disappeared and thousands were arrested, imprisoned and tortured before it fell to a coup by dissident officers in August 1981. The best-known of his foreign aides was the Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie
, who was extradited to France in 1983, where he died in jail.
As a prosecutor, del Granado was demonstrably fearless in the pursuit of justice, and shrugged off continual death threats.
. As a law student, he was among the founders of the Movimiento de Izquierda Revolucionaria (MIR). He directed the Committee Interfacultativo UMSA, a body that defended the university's autonomy during the brutal dictatorship of Col. Hugo Banzer
. Despite a climate of harsh political repression, he completed his studies and received his law degree in 1975. He continued his political activities and associations in North Potosi, where from 1975 to 1976 he served as legal counsel to the Catavi
and Century XX mining unions, and as a journalist for Radio La Voz del Minero. Toward the end of the corruption- and violence-plagued Banzer dictatorship, del Granado was imprisoned and then exiled. On his return to the city of La Paz, he served as legal counsel to the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) and several unions and social organizations (1980). Again, he was driven into exile during the brutal "narco-dictatorship" of Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada
(1980-81).
In 1984, he began the biggest challenge of his political and professional life, the prosecution in the ordinary courts of former dictator Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada
. Del Granado represented Bolivia's labor federation and families of victims. On April 21, 1993 and after 9 years of work, Bolivia’s Supreme Court issued the historic 30-year sentence in the city of Sucre, where it is based. García Meza was found guilty of murder, theft, fraud and subverting the constitution. Sixteen members of his Cabinet and 42 paramilitary and civilian collaborators were tried, eleven in absentia. Six were acquitted and the others were given sentences up to 30 years. President Jaime Paz Zamora said the verdict symbolized the "recovery of the country's dignity and the strengthening of the democratic system." "It is not only a question of punishing those responsible for crimes but of ending political actions based on murder, assault and theft," said del Granado. Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada
had staged a coup on July 17, 1980 with the backing of cocaine traffickers, Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie
and foreign mercenaries, who killed, tortured and persecuted labor and political leaders and journalists. They had overthrown a democratically elected government, dissolved Congress and outlawed political parties.
In 1993, del Granado was elected to Congress for the party Movimiento Bolivia Libre. As a congressman, he served as the Chairman of the Human Rights Committee, where he was a tireless voice in defense of human rights. He also served on the Constitutional Committee, where he called for the enactment of laws which prompted the creation of Bolivia’s Ombudsman, the Constitutional Court and the Judicial Council.
He has been a member of the Andean Commission of Jurists since 1996. He has published several books, analyses and reports on government transparency and has received several awards from human rights institutions and civil society.
In 1999, he founded the Without Fear Movement
(Movimiento Sin Miedo), which won the municipal elections of the same year in the city of La Paz, the seat of government and administrative capital. A tireless advocate of accountability and oversight, mayor del Granado cleaned up the city government and fought corruption. He also implemented major projects in the city. In 2004, he cruised to re-election, and his supporters won six of the eleven city council seats.
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
(2000-2010) and founder of the Without Fear Movement
Without Fear Movement
Without Fear Movement is a Progressive political party in Bolivia. MSM was founded on March 1, 1999.The leader of the party, Juan del Granado, has been mayor of La Paz since 2000...
(Movimiento Sin Miedo, MSM), a progressive political party. He is a relative of poet Javier del Granado
Javier del Granado
Francisco Javier del Granado y Granado , was a poet laureate and favorite son of Bolivia.Born into a distinguished aristocratic family with a rich literary pedigree, he spent most of his youth on his family's hacienda near Arani, in the department of Cochabamba, Colpa-Ciacu, a colonial-era estate...
and the husband of Miriam Marcela Revollo Quiroga, an MSM Deputy in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.
He is known as John the Fearless (“Juan Sin Miedo”) for achieving in 1993 the first-ever successful prosecution of a Latin American dictator in the ordinary courts for crimes committed in office.
Bolivia’s Supreme Court sentenced Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada
Luis García Meza Tejada
Luis García Meza Tejada is a former Bolivian dictator. A native of La Paz, he was a career military officer who rose to the rank of general during the reign of dictator Hugo Banzer...
, the "cocaine dictator," to 30 years in jail without parole or remission for murder, theft, fraud and subverting the constitution.
Despite its brevity, Garcia Meza's rule became notorious for its links to the cocaine trade and its use of paramilitary squads run by fascist mercenaries from Italy, Germany, France, Chile and Argentina. At least 50 people died, over 20 disappeared and thousands were arrested, imprisoned and tortured before it fell to a coup by dissident officers in August 1981. The best-known of his foreign aides was the Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie
Klaus Barbie
Nikolaus 'Klaus' Barbie was an SS-Hauptsturmführer , Gestapo member and war criminal. He was known as the Butcher of Lyon.- Early life :...
, who was extradited to France in 1983, where he died in jail.
As a prosecutor, del Granado was demonstrably fearless in the pursuit of justice, and shrugged off continual death threats.
Biography
Juan del Granado received a law degree at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA) in La PazLa Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
. As a law student, he was among the founders of the Movimiento de Izquierda Revolucionaria (MIR). He directed the Committee Interfacultativo UMSA, a body that defended the university's autonomy during the brutal dictatorship of Col. Hugo Banzer
Hugo Banzer
Hugo Banzer Suárez was a politician, military general, dictator and President of Bolivia. He held the Bolivian presidency twice: from August 22, 1971 to July 21, 1978, as a dictator; and then again from August 6, 1997 to August 7, 2001, as constitutional President.-Military and ideological...
. Despite a climate of harsh political repression, he completed his studies and received his law degree in 1975. He continued his political activities and associations in North Potosi, where from 1975 to 1976 he served as legal counsel to the Catavi
Catavi
Catavi is a tin mine in Bolivia, near the city of Llallagua in the province of Bustillos, Potosí Department. Along with the Siglo XX mine, it is part of a mining complex in the area.-History:...
and Century XX mining unions, and as a journalist for Radio La Voz del Minero. Toward the end of the corruption- and violence-plagued Banzer dictatorship, del Granado was imprisoned and then exiled. On his return to the city of La Paz, he served as legal counsel to the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) and several unions and social organizations (1980). Again, he was driven into exile during the brutal "narco-dictatorship" of Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada
Luis García Meza Tejada
Luis García Meza Tejada is a former Bolivian dictator. A native of La Paz, he was a career military officer who rose to the rank of general during the reign of dictator Hugo Banzer...
(1980-81).
In 1984, he began the biggest challenge of his political and professional life, the prosecution in the ordinary courts of former dictator Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada
Luis García Meza Tejada
Luis García Meza Tejada is a former Bolivian dictator. A native of La Paz, he was a career military officer who rose to the rank of general during the reign of dictator Hugo Banzer...
. Del Granado represented Bolivia's labor federation and families of victims. On April 21, 1993 and after 9 years of work, Bolivia’s Supreme Court issued the historic 30-year sentence in the city of Sucre, where it is based. García Meza was found guilty of murder, theft, fraud and subverting the constitution. Sixteen members of his Cabinet and 42 paramilitary and civilian collaborators were tried, eleven in absentia. Six were acquitted and the others were given sentences up to 30 years. President Jaime Paz Zamora said the verdict symbolized the "recovery of the country's dignity and the strengthening of the democratic system." "It is not only a question of punishing those responsible for crimes but of ending political actions based on murder, assault and theft," said del Granado. Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada
Luis García Meza Tejada
Luis García Meza Tejada is a former Bolivian dictator. A native of La Paz, he was a career military officer who rose to the rank of general during the reign of dictator Hugo Banzer...
had staged a coup on July 17, 1980 with the backing of cocaine traffickers, Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie
Klaus Barbie
Nikolaus 'Klaus' Barbie was an SS-Hauptsturmführer , Gestapo member and war criminal. He was known as the Butcher of Lyon.- Early life :...
and foreign mercenaries, who killed, tortured and persecuted labor and political leaders and journalists. They had overthrown a democratically elected government, dissolved Congress and outlawed political parties.
In 1993, del Granado was elected to Congress for the party Movimiento Bolivia Libre. As a congressman, he served as the Chairman of the Human Rights Committee, where he was a tireless voice in defense of human rights. He also served on the Constitutional Committee, where he called for the enactment of laws which prompted the creation of Bolivia’s Ombudsman, the Constitutional Court and the Judicial Council.
He has been a member of the Andean Commission of Jurists since 1996. He has published several books, analyses and reports on government transparency and has received several awards from human rights institutions and civil society.
In 1999, he founded the Without Fear Movement
Without Fear Movement
Without Fear Movement is a Progressive political party in Bolivia. MSM was founded on March 1, 1999.The leader of the party, Juan del Granado, has been mayor of La Paz since 2000...
(Movimiento Sin Miedo), which won the municipal elections of the same year in the city of La Paz, the seat of government and administrative capital. A tireless advocate of accountability and oversight, mayor del Granado cleaned up the city government and fought corruption. He also implemented major projects in the city. In 2004, he cruised to re-election, and his supporters won six of the eleven city council seats.