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50
DESPERATE MEASURES

With Colonel Lanza against me, I knew that the only chance I would have of getting off would be to bribe the judges. I started looking around for some money immediately. The first person I asked was Rusty. At first he completely refused to help. He didn't say so directly, but I think he suspected that I was lying about being set up by the police and the Velascos. I didn't blame him for that – he knew I was a cocaine trafficker and that I sold stuff to tourists, so it must have seemed unlikely that I was innocent. I also knew he didn't have much money, but I tried my hardest to persuade him to borrow some.

'Look, Rusty. In a way I am guilty. I admit that I've dealt drugs in here many times. But this time I didn't.' He looked at me and nodded, but I could tell that he still doubted me. 'I swear to you on my life. If I had done it, I would accept the punishment.'

I even showed him the police facts sheet in order to prove that I was telling the truth. It stated that the police had found me outside the Velascos' room, but there was no mention of me possessing any cocaine or money.

'So you see, man, they didn't even get me with any drugs or money. I'm innocent. The charge just says I was intending to traffic. But there is no evidence.'

'Exactly,' said Rusty, as though I had just proven his point. 'There's no way they can convict you on that. But if you try to bribe the judges, then they'll think it's because you really are guilty.'

'Hey, man. You don't know this country. That's not how things work in Bolivia. The judges don't care if I'm guilty or not. If they convict a foreigner, it looks good for them.'

To end the argument, Rusty said that he would do his best to help