Bolivia Issues Arrest Warrant for Evo Morales After Court No-Show
Primary region South America
Tags Justice · Corruption · Protest
Regions South America
A Bolivian judge reissued an arrest warrant for former president Evo Morales on May 12 after he failed to appear for the start of his trial on charges of trafficking a minor. Morales, who governed from 2006 to 2019, is accused of fathering a child with a 15-year-old girl while in office. He has been hiding in his coca-growing stronghold of Chapare since late 2024, guarded by Indigenous supporters. Supporters threatened nationwide unrest if Morales is arrested, with coca grower leader Dieter Mendoza warning of 'insurgency across Bolivia.' Authorities first issued an arrest warrant in October 2024 but could not execute it after supporters blocked roads for 24 days. Morales was previously declared in contempt in January 2025.
Strategic interpretation
The standoff between Bolivia's judiciary and Morales's supporters reflects the deep polarization of Bolivian politics along the MAS party rupture. An arrest attempt could trigger significant civil unrest in the Chapare region and beyond, potentially destabilizing the government of President Rodrigo Paz. The case also raises questions about judicial independence, as Morales's supporters frame it as political persecution by a rival faction.