Evo Morales defiant after new Bolivia arrest warrant

Bolivia's judicial system has moved against former President Evo Morales with a new arrest warrant issued by the Santa Cruz district prosecutor's office. The charges encompass armed uprising against state security and sovereignty, terrorism, and attacks on transport infrastructure safety. Morales responded to the warrant through social media, rejecting the accusations and asserting that authorities are attempting to distract from Bolivia's fundamental economic and social crisis, which he characterizes as abandoning ordinary citizens while protecting corruption.

The warrant stems from Morales's support for protests organized by farmers and truckers in June, demonstrations driven by economic hardship, rising costs of living, and the austerity policies of current President Rodrigo Paz. A civic group called Comit pro Santa Cruz filed a criminal complaint alleging that Morales's supporters created shortages of food, fuel, and medicine by blocking transport routes for 53 days. The Interior Ministry subsequently adopted this complaint, leading to the formal charges filed on Wednesday.

Moreales, who served as Bolivia's first Indigenous president across three terms from 2006 until his contested 2019 departure, has faced mounting legal pressure in recent months. Late 2024 brought allegations of trafficking a minor and statutory rape involving a 15-year-old girl. By early 2025, his supporters had blocked roads nationwide in protest against these charges, which Morales has rejected and refused to address in court proceedings. When Paz declared a state of emergency in June, the unrest gradually subsided, but the government initiated this fresh investigation into Morales's role in the transport blockades.

Moreales's political trajectory has been marked by significant achievements and controversy. His presidency brought nearly 14 years of economic growth and poverty reduction, though critics point to accusations of political authoritarianism. His 2019 ouster followed disputed elections and initial resistance to stepping down, leading him into exile in Mexico and Argentina. He returned after his political ally Luis Arce secured the presidency, but his legal troubles have intensified since then. In his latest statement, Morales pledged continued struggle alongside the population for dignity, sovereignty, social justice, and restored hope for Bolivia.