(FILES) Bolivia's former President Evo Morales looks on during an interview with AFP in the village of Lauca N, Cochabamba department, Bolivia, on November 3, 2024. Former Bolivia's President Evo Morales denounced on January 17, he is victim of a "biased and servile justice system" towards the government of his former ally, President Luis Arce, following the arrest warrant issued by a judge against him for a case of alleged trafficking of a minors during his mandate (2006-2019). (Photo by FERNANDO CARTAGENA / AFP)
(Bloomberg): A Bolivian judge ordered the arrest of Evo Morales on Friday, inflicting another blow to the socialist former president’s ambition to run in this year’s election.
The court declared Morales in contempt and also ordered his detention on human trafficking charges, prosecutor Sandra Gutierrez told reporters.
The judge also ordered freezing Morales’ bank accounts, according to local TV station Unitel.
Morales, who is being investigated for allegedly having a child with a minor, did not appear at the court hearing in the city of Tarija, the second time he has failed to appear. He’s repeatedly denied the charges, which he describes as an attempt to torpedo his political ambitions in the August presidential election.
"Morales still has a lot of strength but, generally, I would say he is already a political corpse,” said Carlos Toranzo, a La Paz-based political scientist. "In politics, you should never say never, but his chances of running are getting ever smaller, and this new detention order is the coup de grace for his nomination.”
Morales’ lawyer, Jorge Perez, told reporters that he will file a motion to annul the judge’s orders.
The former leader is being guarded by large groups of supporters in his home region of Chapare, making it difficult for authorities to detain him. In recent days they have blocked approach roads in the region with mounds of earth and rock.
The Andean nation is being buffeted by a political turmoil after the ruling socialist party split after Morales clashed with President Luis Arce, his former protege.
The country is also suffering an economic crisis as a shortage of dollars leads to accelerating inflation and scarcity of fuel and other key goods.- Bloomberg
