Former Bolivian President Evo Morales did not appear at the Prosecutor's Office in Tarija to testify on accusations of "aggravated stuprum with human trafficking," leading prosecutor Sandra Gutiérrez to issue an arrest warrant against him.
Morales is currently in the municipality of Chapare, surrounded by loyal coca farmers who have warned that they will "burn the country" if he is detained.
Evo Morales's defense argues he failed to comply with the summons due to a "legal impediment," citing a constitutional ruling that determines the case must be handled in the central region of Cochabamba, where the former president and leader of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) resides.
Through his X account, Morales denounced that the accusations are part of a political persecution plot against him spearheaded by the current government (and whose president, Luis Arce, was a close ally of him) arguing it seeks to dismantle the popular movement he leads. "The goal is to decapitate the Bolivian popular movement," he said. He added that the accusations reflect the government's desperation in the face of a grave economic crisis.
According to the complaint, Morales had a daughter with a 15-year-old girl when he was 57. It also alleged that he got in touch with her in exchange for political favors for her parents.
The alleged victim belonged to a youth group created by the former president during his presidency called 'Generación Evo.' The girl's parents were also summoned to testify but did not appear, leading to their arrest. Jorge Pérez, one of Morales's lawyers, argued that the case lacks foundation, as there is no statement from the alleged victim and it was already rejected by a prosecutor in 2019.
Justice Minister César Siles had anticipated the issuance of the arrest warrant if the former president did not appear, leading Morales's lawyers to accuse the government of pressuring the Prosecutor's Office. Even though an arrest warrant issued in September was annulled by a judge, the case was reactivated with the current government's support. A judge ordered the reinstatement of the prosecutor, who then summoned Morales again.
Chapare, Morales's political stronghold, is a key area where coca farmers have expressed their discontent, warning that they will not allow the detention of their leader. "There will be insurgency and convulsion," said local political leader Dieter Mendoza.
Morales has also filed a complaint against President Luis Arce for alleged sexual abuse, intensifying the conflict between the two. The complaint against Morales was filed shortly after a march in La Paz in support of his leadership in the MAS.
Originally published on Latin Times.
