Italy Sentences 2 Former South American Leaders in Absentia to Life Imprisonment

An Italian court sentenced former Bolivian and Peruvian presidents in absentia to life imprisonment over deaths of 23 Italians during a campaign of political repressions conducted in South America in 1970s - 1980s, local media reported.

ROME (Sputnik) – The court sentenced on Tuesday in absentia eight people including ex-leader of Bolivia Luis Garcia Meza and former head of Peru Francisco Morales Bermudez, the Rai News broadcaster reported.

At the same time the court exculpated 19 people and closed six cases because of deaths of the suspects.

In 1970s — 1980s six South American countries – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay – were engaged in the Operation Condor, which implied mass repressions against opposition.

Garcia Meza, aged 87, is now serving a 30-year sentence in Bolivia while Peruvian authorities are investigating alleged crimes against humanity of 95-year-old Morales Bermudez.

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