October 1, 2008

Dear Readers:

Moments ago, we received information from Cuzco, Peru that police had
detained veteran activist Hugo Blanco. We believe that the news deserved
this rapid alert. Here is what the Periodico Lucha Indigena, the newspaper
that Huga edits, is reporting:

This morning, in the Poroy comissary, Hugo Blanco was detained for failing
to appear in Paruro court after having been subpoenaed and was taken to
Cuzco’s Palace of Justice holding facility. The court case at hand has to do
with land stolen from campesinos by the son of a former hacienda owner in
Huanoquite. The police took the side of the son, accusing the campesinos of
“resisting authority.” (The campesinos however were not accused of illegally
occupying the land because in reality they were only taking back land for
which they have legal title, but that had only been partially restored to
its legal owners). Among the accused was Hugo, for having supported the
campesinos despite the fact that he was not even present the day the
incident took place. Hugo was thus charged with resisting authority, but was
not notified. He therefore did not appear in court as mandated and the judge
ordered his arrest. Tomorrow, he will be taken to Paruro to testify. We call
on all grassroots organizations, press outlets and human rights defenders to
join in solidarity and spread this news. Let’s hope that this case is
settled soon and that it will sirve as a stinging denouncement of the abuse
against this community of campesinos, the legitimate owners of the land at
hand.

In UB, you’ll find the text as well as some links so you can learn more
about who Hugo is and what he had done over the years, including a Youtube
video of a presentation Hugo gave in Canada last year (in english).

http://www.ubnews.org

On alert,

Luis A. Gómez

Jean Friedman-Rudovsky

Editors

Ukhampacha Bolivia

http://www.ukhampachabolivia.org

See also on ESSF:

On Hugo Blanco

BLANCO Hugo

About Hugo Blanco

Articles from Hugo Blanco:

BLANCO Hugo