Bolivia court suspends Evo Morales trial, orders arrest after no-show
Primary region South America
Tags Justice · Corruption
Regions South America
A Bolivian court in Tarija on May 11 declared former president Evo Morales in contempt and ordered his arrest after he failed to appear at the opening of his trial for alleged aggravated human trafficking. The court issued a national travel bar. Morales has been sheltered since October 2024 in the Tropics of Cochabamba, guarded by hundreds of followers who previously blocked roads for 24 days to prevent police from reaching him. The Attorney General's Office presented formal charges in October 2025, gathering over 170 pieces of evidence. Morales's lawyer called the case political persecution timed to distract from protests against President Rodrigo Paz.
Strategic interpretation
The arrest warrant's enforceability is questionable given Morales's armed protection in Chapare, creating a standoff that tests the Paz government's authority. The case has become a flashpoint for broader social unrest, with Morales's base launching a 'March for Life to Save Bolivia' from Caracollo to La Paz. Whether the government can prosecute a former president without triggering a constitutional crisis remains uncertain.