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Ronald Casso, former general manager of the state airline Boliviana de Aviación (BoA), entered the San Antonio prison in Cochabamba this weekend, where he will serve five months of pre-trial detention due to the scandal surrounding nearly empty flights to Havana, which allegedly caused an economic loss of 18.4 million bolivianos (Bs) to the state.
The precautionary measure was issued last Thursday, May 8, two days after Casso was apprehended near the Jorge Wilstermann International Airport in Cochabamba, local media reported.
After his arrest, the former executive was transferred under police custody to La Paz to appear before the authorities, but the court ruling ordered his return to Cochabamba to serve the measure in San Antonio.
Casso is being investigated for the alleged crimes of failure to fulfill duties and anti-economic conduct, as part of a case opened following a complaint from the Vice Ministry of Transparency.
The process focuses on the Viru Viru (Santa Cruz de la Sierra) - Havana route, inaugurated on October 26, 2023 as the first direct air connection between Bolivia and Cuba, within the framework of the "regional integration" agenda of then-president Luis Arce.
According to the investigation, the route was opened without a technical report on economic viability. BoA's management justified the start of operations by citing Arce's "presidential commitment," disregarding the recommendations from the airline's own board to prioritize routes like Córdoba or Bogotá.
The occupancy data reveals the extent of the waste. The Boeing 737-800 used, with a capacity for 168 passengers, flew on November 30, 2023, with only 17 people on board; on February 22, 2024, with 22; and on September 19, 2024, with just 11.
In total, the 36 flights operated recorded an average occupancy of 60 passengers on outbound trips and 74 on return trips, less than half of the aircraft's capacity.
The total estimated economic damage of Bs 18.4 million breaks down to Bs 14.4 million in operational losses due to extremely low occupancy, and an additional Bs four million from irregular currency transactions: BoA was buying dollars on the black market at Bs 17.50 per unit—more than double the official exchange rate of Bs 6.96—while also paying a 10% commission to intermediaries.
The investigation also found that the airline physically transported Bs 11.8 million in cash to Havana outside of the international banking system.
BoA suspended flights to Cuba on July 25, 2024, just nine months after their inauguration, without providing an official reason.
Casso's defense, led by lawyer Javier García, denies the charges: "They have determined that between 2023 and 2024, with this route, in the dealings that pertained to engineer Casso, there was no economic damage, and, on the contrary, there was benefit to the company," stated the attorney.
García added that his client is facing the situation with composure: "We will respect the resolutions. I just spoke with my client, he is certainly upset but also empowered."
In addition to Casso, the criminal complaint filed on April 21 by the Vice Ministry of Transparency involves five other former officials, including the former Minister of Public Works Édgar Montaño—who is already being held preventively in the San Pedro prison in La Paz due to a separate case—and former members of the BoA board who approved the route.
The Public Prosecutor's Office seeks to ensure Casso's presence in the country while gathering more evidence regarding the approval of these deficit routes, marking the first effective apprehension in the case.
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