In the remote Bolivian town of Lauca Ñ, surrounded by coca fields and protected by civilian guards maintaining round-the-clock vigils, former president Evo Morales has created what amounts to a personal fortress. Despite an active arrest warrant, law enforcement seems reluctant to venture into this stronghold to apprehend one of Latin America’s most prominent leftist leaders and Bolivia’s first indigenous president, who now faces serious criminal accusations.
The case marks a dramatic turn for a leader who made history in 2006 when he became Bolivia’s first indigenous president in its 500-year existence, breaking centuries of political dominance by the descendants of European colonizers. Under his leadership, Bolivia’s indigenous majority saw unprecedented gains in political representation and economic rights, making his current situation all the more remarkable for a figure who once symbolized hope and transformation for Latin America’s indigenous peoples.
The case against Morales, which has consumed Bolivian politics for the past four months, centers on allegations of statutory rape and human trafficking involving a minor. According to intelligence reports reviewed by El Deber, prosecutors allege that between 2014 and 2016, while serving as president, Morales had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl who was part of a youth organization created to support his Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party. The relationship allegedly resulted in a pregnancy.
The investigation has pulled in the alleged victim’s parents, highlighting the complex web of accountability surrounding the case. According to reporting by El Deber, the father, Emeterio V., a 67-year-old laborer, spent four months in prison on charges of failing to report the crime when it occurred. Speaking to El Deber, his attorney Aníbal Cabezas stated that “Mr. V. had nothing to do with this crime; he is a 67-year-old worker who was away from his family during that time [when the violation occurred].” The mother, Idelsa P.S., has been declared a fugitive after failing to appear for a hearing in January.
In a striking public statement reported by El Deber, Interior Minister Eduardo Del Castillo declared, “I must categorically state that there will be no reasonable doubt that Mr. Evo Morales violated girls when he was President of our country.” Del Castillo further emphasized that the investigation “must focus on how and when a girl of only 15 years was violated, and as a product of that violation there was a child or teenage pregnancy in our country.”
The case has taken several significant legal turns in recent days. According to judicial reports, Judge Nelson Rocabado of Tarija’s 5th Anticorruption and Violence Against Women Court has ratified the arrest warrant against Morales, including a preventive annotation of his assets. This decision came after the First Criminal Chamber of the Departmental Court of Justice rejected an appeal filed by the former president attempting to nullify the proceedings against him.
The timing of these events is particularly notable given Morales’ complex political trajectory. After being forced to resign amid electoral fraud allegations in November 2019, Morales initially fled to Mexico and later Argentina. His return to Bolivia was made possible by the 2020 election of his ally Luis Arce as president. Since then, Morales has maintained a significant political presence in the country, particularly in the Chapare region, his traditional power base.
Speaking to El Deber, former prosecutor Joadel Bravo argued that the failure to execute Morales’ arrest reveals a troubling reality about Bolivia’s justice system. “The non-compliance with the legal arrest warrant against Evo Morales shows that in Bolivia there are first-class and second-class citizens, where politicians are immune to penalties ordered by justice,” Bravo stated. He further explained that while any arrest attempt could risk bloodshed, this would only occur if Morales’ security force engaged with public forces, noting that “the population, while they may sympathize with Evo, is not a trained armed force capable of repelling regular forces executing a legal arrest warrant.”
According to El Deber’s reporting, Leonardo Loza, a MAS senator and loyal Morales supporter, has announced plans to mobilize more than 100,000 people to La Paz to register Morales’ presidential candidacy, despite a recent constitutional court ruling barring him from running. The exact date for this demonstration has not been confirmed.
The situation presents a critical test for Bolivia’s democratic institutions. While Attorney General Róger Mariaca has publicly offered his office’s cooperation for any necessary raids or legal proceedings, the practical execution of justice appears stalled by political considerations. The government faces a delicate balance: enforcing the law against a still-powerful political figure while avoiding potential civil unrest.
For Bolivia, the case represents more than just the potential crimes of one former president. It has exposed the weaknesses in the country’s justice system, where political calculations appear to trump legal obligations. The fact that a former president can effectively create a no-go zone for law enforcement while facing serious criminal charges raises troubling questions about the rule of law in Bolivia.
As the country moves toward its 2025 elections, the resolution – or lack thereof – of this case may well determine not just Morales’ personal fate, but the future of democratic accountability in Bolivia. The coming months will reveal whether the country’s institutions can uphold the principle that no one, not even a former president, is above the law.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on publicly available information. The views and analysis presented here constitute political commentary and should not be taken as statements of fact. We do not independently allege or verify any of the criminal accusations discussed herein. All criminal allegations mentioned are currently under investigation by Bolivian authorities, and all individuals should be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Any quotes or statements have been attributed to their original sources. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and draw their own conclusions. This article is intended to provide context and analysis of ongoing political events in Bolivia based on public reporting.
