“Mr. Ostreicher is entitled to a fair trial, to see the evidence against him, to have the opportunity to present evidence in his own behalf, and to have that case heard promptly, and impartially. If prosecutors do not have the necessary evidence, they should dismiss the case immediately. Our job will not be done until Mr. Ostreicher has been accorded a full measure of the simple justice to which we are all entitled.
“We need everyone – Members of Congress, officials in the Executive Branch, and other interested parties – to keep up the pressure on the Bolivian government. It is important for everyone to remember our goal – making sure that Mr. Ostreicher is provided fair treatment and basic due process. The Bolivians must be made to understand that we will not stand by and simply accept the treatment that Mr. Ostreicher has received to date. Pressure must continue to be applied to the Bolivian government and its justice system to get this man and his family out of the terrible limbo they are in – either by finally giving him the trial he deserves, or by dropping the charges.
“I hope this hearing will serve to do just that – to keep the pressure on the Bolivian government and to demonstrate how important Mr. Ostreicher and his situation are to important U.S. government officials and to the United States government.”