Holding Heads of State Accountable

In 2003, Bolivian state forces massacred indigenous protestors and community members, killing dozens and injuring hundreds, in what has become known as “Black October.” Following the killings, the former president of Bolivia, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, and the former Minister of Defense, Carlos Sánchez Berzaín, fled to the United States. In 2007, nine family members brought a case, Mamani v. Sánchez de Lozada, against the two officials for their roles in the massacres. In 2018, a jury found both officials liable for the extrajudicial killings of the plaintiffs’ family members. The landmark verdict marked the first ever successful lawsuit against a former head of state in the United States.

Attorneys at University Network for Human Rights have represented the families since the beginning of the lawsuit. Following the jury’s decision, the defendants appealed the judgment against them. The case is currently before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Over the past year, students have worked with UNHR attorneys and other members of the legal team to prepare a brief for the 11th Circuit.