- विज्ञापन -
La Paz: The Bolivian government has announced plans to arrest former President Evo Morales when the time is appropriate, according to a senior official. Deputy Minister of Coordination and Government Management Gustavo Torrico stated that the arrest warrant would be executed without endangering innocent lives.
Morales is currently residing in a region of Chapare in the Cochabamba department, where he is protected by a security team formed by loyal social movements. During a Christmas dinner, he expressed gratitude to his supporters, framing the arrest attempt as political persecution.
On December 19, Bolivian prosecutors requested an immigration alert for Morales, who faces accusations of human trafficking related to a 2015 rape investigation. Minister of Government Eduardo del Castillo confirmed that an arrest warrant was issued as part of the ongoing investigation and stated that the Bolivian Police would act in accordance with the court’s decision.
Morales has claimed he is a victim of a “brutal legal war” aimed at undermining his candidacy in the upcoming general election and suggested that authorities intend to hand him over to the United States as a “political trophy.” He criticized the government for violating constitutional principles of presumed innocence and due process.
Currently, Morales is in the Cochabamba tropics, an area where he has significant support from coca growers. Vicente Choque, a political secretary for the Six Federations of the Tropic of Cochabamba and a Morales supporter, mentioned that they have strong security measures in place and warned of potential confrontations if an arrest is attempted.
An arrest warrant for Morales was previously issued on October 16 but could not be executed due to his unknown whereabouts and roadblocks set up by his supporters that lasted 23 days. In September, the Bolivian government confirmed that Morales is constitutionally barred from running in the 2025 presidential elections, a restriction based on the country’s Constitution rather than a decision by the current administration. Deputy Communication Minister Gabriela Alcon urged Morales’ supporters to respect Bolivia’s legal framework, highlighting that the Constitution was approved by the citizens and must be upheld.
