Bolivia Court Reissues Arrest Warrant for Morales Over Minor Trafficking Charges
Former Bolivian President Evo Morales, accused of fathering a child with a minor, fails to attend trial proceedings.
A Bolivian court has reissued an arrest warrant for former president Evo Morales on charges of trafficking a minor after he failed to show up for the start of his trial in the southern city of Tarija.
The case stems from allegations that Morales fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl during his tenure as president, between 2006 and 2019.
According to court documents, the girl's parents are accused of having consented to the relationship in exchange for benefits provided by Morales.Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, denies the accusations against him.
His absence from the scheduled trial has resulted in proceedings being suspended.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has deemed Morales' non-attendance as unjustified and has reactivated his fugitive status, leading to the renewal of the arrest warrant.
Since late 2024, Morales has been in hiding in his native Chapare region, known for its coca production, surrounded by Indigenous supporters who have vowed to resist any attempts at apprehending him.Initially, an arrest warrant was issued against Morales in this case in October 2024, and he had already been declared in contempt of court in January 2025 after failing to attend a pretrial detention hearing.
His legal team claims that they did not appear in court due to inadequate notification, as the court failed to serve summonses to Morales’ registered address but instead published an edict.Morales' tenure was marked by significant economic growth and poverty reduction, yet his refusal to relinquish power after three terms fueled political turmoil, leading to his forced resignation in 2019.
Subsequent elections barred him from running for a fourth term, and although he attempted to return home from exile in Mexico and Argentina, he ultimately failed to regain political office.
The case stems from allegations that Morales fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl during his tenure as president, between 2006 and 2019.
According to court documents, the girl's parents are accused of having consented to the relationship in exchange for benefits provided by Morales.Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, denies the accusations against him.
His absence from the scheduled trial has resulted in proceedings being suspended.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has deemed Morales' non-attendance as unjustified and has reactivated his fugitive status, leading to the renewal of the arrest warrant.
Since late 2024, Morales has been in hiding in his native Chapare region, known for its coca production, surrounded by Indigenous supporters who have vowed to resist any attempts at apprehending him.Initially, an arrest warrant was issued against Morales in this case in October 2024, and he had already been declared in contempt of court in January 2025 after failing to attend a pretrial detention hearing.
His legal team claims that they did not appear in court due to inadequate notification, as the court failed to serve summonses to Morales’ registered address but instead published an edict.Morales' tenure was marked by significant economic growth and poverty reduction, yet his refusal to relinquish power after three terms fueled political turmoil, leading to his forced resignation in 2019.
Subsequent elections barred him from running for a fourth term, and although he attempted to return home from exile in Mexico and Argentina, he ultimately failed to regain political office.
