Luis Fernando López

Luis Fernando López, born on October fifteenth, nineteen sixty-four, is a prominent Bolivian figure known for his multifaceted career as a businessman, retired military officer, politician, and journalist. He served as the Minister of Defense from two thousand nineteen to two thousand twenty, a period marked by significant political turmoil in Bolivia.

Appointed during the latter stages of the political crisis in two thousand nineteen, López quickly gained notoriety alongside Minister of Government Arturo Murillo as the 'strong men' of the Jeanine Áñez administration. Their tenure was marred by allegations of involvement in the tragic events at Senkata and Sacaba, leading to calls for hearings by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. However, López failed to appear for these hearings on three separate occasions, resulting in his censure by the legislature.

Despite being dismissed from his ministerial position as mandated by the Constitution, López exploited a loophole to secure reappointment just one day later. His controversial actions continued to unfold as reports emerged regarding his involvement in the tear gas case, which accused the ministries of government and defense of irregularly purchasing non-lethal weapons at inflated prices.

Following the two thousand twenty general election, López sought connections with American ex-army soldiers to facilitate the transport of mercenaries and paramilitaries to Bolivia, aiming to orchestrate a preemptive coup d'état to thwart President-elect Luis Arce's inauguration. This endeavor ultimately failed, leading López and Murillo to flee the country just three days before Arce took office. Currently, he remains in hiding in Brazil as the Bolivian government pursues his extradition for various charges, including breach of duties.