VOA标准英语2008年-Bolivian Authorities Arrest Opposition Governor

Bolivian troops have arrested an opposition¹ governor accused of leading attacks that killed at least 15 government supporters. In Miami, VOA's Brian Wagner reports that unrest in Bolivia has prompted U.S. officials to withdraw aid workers from the country.
　
Gov. Leopoldo Fernandez of Pando province, center, attends a rally in Cobija, 15 Sept. 2008

Bolivian military officials say Governor Leopoldo Fernandez was taken into custody² without incident and placed on an airplane for La Paz. The nation's top prosecutor³ says he plans to charge Fernandez and other opposition leaders with genocide for allegedly organizing the attack that killed at least 15 people last week. Scores of others have been reported missing in the rural area along the Brazilian border.

President Evo Morales declared martial⁴ law in Pando province and deployed⁵ troops to the region following a series of violent clashes. Opposition members seized government buildings in Pando and three other provinces to protest a constitutional reform plan.
　
Evo Morales

Mr. Morales says the federal intervention⁶ in Pando is aimed at restoring order to the area. He called the governor's arrest legal under the constitution, and said the armed forces are completing their duties in the region.

Meanwhile, the president met with other opposition leaders in an effort to resolve the dispute over his plans to hold a referendum on a new constitution.

In response to the latest unrest in eastern Bolivia, the United States has withdrawn⁷ about 130 Peace Corps⁸ volunteers and placed them in Peru. Officials say U.S.-backed anti-drug efforts in rural Bolivia also have been interrupted.

U.S. State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack says violent demonstrations⁹ have raised concerns about all U.S. staff in Bolivia.

"Any sort of harm that would come to any of our personnel would imperil the ability over the long term for us to have the kind of programs that we have there right now," he said. "So the common thread is security."

Last week, President Morales expelled the U.S. ambassador, accusing him of siding with opposition leaders in the country. In response, U.S. officials ordered Bolivia's ambassador in Washington to leave the country.

 

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

3 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

4 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

7 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

8 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

9 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。