Bolivia issues new arrest warrant for Evo Morales after court no-show
Primary region South America
Tags Justice · Corruption
Regions South America
A Bolivian judge found former President Evo Morales in contempt of court and reissued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear for the start of his trial on charges of aggravated human trafficking of a minor. Morales, who has been in hiding in his coca-growing stronghold of Chapare since October 2024, is accused of fathering a child with a 15-year-old girl while in office. His lawyers said they were not properly notified. Morales's supporters have previously blocked roads for 24 days to prevent his arrest. The former president has described the case as political persecution.
Strategic interpretation
The renewed arrest warrant reopens Bolivia's deepest political fault line. Morales's supporters have previously demonstrated their ability to paralyze the country through road blocks, and the government's inability to execute the warrant reveals the limits of state power in Chapare.