[1] Bolivia’s Supreme Court sentenced Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada, the "cocaine dictator," to 30 years in jail without parole or remission for murder, theft, fraud and subverting the constitution.

Despite its brevity, Garcia Meza's rule became notorious for its links to the cocaine trade and its use of paramilitary squads run by fascist mercenaries from Italy, Germany, France, Chile and Argentina.

Juan del Granado received a law degree at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA) in La Paz.

In 1980, when he was able to return to La Paz, he served as legal counsel to the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) and several unions and social organizations.

On 21 April 1993, Bolivia’s Supreme Court found Meza Tejada guilty of murder, theft, fraud and subverting the constitution, and sentenced him to 30 years in prison.

"It is not only a question of punishing those responsible for crimes but of ending political actions based on murder, assault and theft," said del Granado.

Gen. Luis García Meza Tejada had staged a coup on July 17, 1980 with the backing of cocaine traffickers, Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie and foreign mercenaries, who killed, tortured and persecuted labor and political leaders and journalists.