Last five Brazilian fans held in Oruro, Bolivia freed from jail

The Brazilian Government welcomed the Bolivian court's decision to release the last five Brazilians who were being held in Oruro, Bolivia. The Brazilians have been released and are receiving the support of the Embassy in La Paz, with a view to their prompt return to Brazil.

From the moment of the detention of the Brazilians, President Dilma Rousseff expressed to President Evo Morales her concern about the situation. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Justice took immediate steps to guarantee that the Brazilians had their dignity and rights respected. They also offered the Bolivian government legal cooperation to assist in clarifying the episode that led to the death of the young Bolivian Kevin Espada.

Through the Embassy of Brazil in La Paz, Itamaraty provided legal and consular assistance to those Brazilians, with a commitment to ensure respect for their rights, including the guarantee of minimally decent detention conditions and the appropriate progress of relevant legal procedures. Legal assistance was provided from the time the Brazilian government was informed of the arrest. The Brazilian Embassy in La Paz maintained constant contact with the Bolivian authorities in order to try to reach a satisfactory solution to the issue. Diplomats from the Embassy of Brazil in La Paz – including the Ambassador – made regular visits to the detainees, at times in the company of other Brazilian authorities and parliamentarians.