A 52-year-old student leader in Bolivia has been studying without a degree for 33 years. This is probably not laziness, but calculations: as president of the Bolivian University Confederation, Max Mendoza receives a salary of about 3,000 euros. Pro-government MP Héctor Arce said on Thursday that he had reported Mendoza for “turning his office into a business”.
Mendoza “failed over 200 subjects,” Arce said. He ridicules the meaning of studying. The criminal charges against Mendoza, who has headed the student union for four years, are “unlawful enrichment, abuse of position, anti-corporate conduct and embezzlement.”
25 years of law studies
Mendoza, 52, first studied business administration at a public university, and has been enrolled in law for 25 years – a course that normally takes five years in Bolivia.
His case sparked a stir last week after four people were killed and 70 injured in mass panic during an election for student representatives at a university. A student had previously detonated a tear gas canister. Mendoza had called for participation in the event.
Still other student leaders go for decades without a diploma
Student associations receive state subsidies in Bolivia. There are reportedly more student leaders who have been enrolled for decades because of office privileges.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
