Branko Marinković

Branko Marinković Jovičević was born on 21 August 1967 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He is the son of a Croatian[1][2][3][4][5] father and Montenegrin[5] mother emigrated to Bolivia from Yugoslavia in 1954. Marinković also holds Croatian passport.[6]

He studied electromechanical engineering and economics and finance at the University of Texas in the United States. Marinković is important in the Oilseeds Industry in Bolivia since 2000 and is president of the Federation of Private Entrepreneurs since 2004 and vice chairman of Banco Económico. He was also elected prefect of the Civic Committee of the Santa Cruz Department in 2006.

Marinković was an opponent of President Evo Morales.[7]

In the documentary, Who is Branko Marinković , which aired on Bolivian national television, Marinković was depicted as pro-Ustaše, although his father reportedly was as a member of the Partisans. In that same documentary, Marinković is shown as a citizen of Croatia.[6]

In December 2010, Bolivia's prosecutor had filed charges against 39 people, including Marinković, for 2009 alleged plot aimed at killing Evo Morales and starting an armed rebellion. Marinković, and other leading opposition leaders argued that in no way were they are associated with the plot. Marinković was forced into exile in the United States while fearing for his life. He claimed his innocence and has said the following: "The Bolivian government pursues me and forced me to live outside my beloved Bolivia, because in Bolivia my life would be threatened. I have no guarantees that I would be allowed a fair trial."[2]

Following the 2019 Bolivian political crisis, Marinković returned to Bolivia. On 5 August 2020, interim president Jeanine Áñez appointed him Minister of Development Planning. He was reassigned to the Ministry of Economics and Public Finance following the resignation of Óscar Ortiz.[8] Marinković held this position from 28 September 2020 until 6 November 2020 when he resigned along with other members of the Áñez cabinet to facilitate the transfer of power to the newly elected President, Luis Arce.[9]

On 11 November 2020, Fundación TIERRA brought a petition to the Bolivian Senate and Courts alleging that he had facilitated the illegal sale of over 33,000 hectares of land to himself and members of his family.[10]