BOLIVIA — A Bolivian judge has issued an arrest warrant for former president Evo Morales, 65, amid accusations of child abuse and statutory rape during his time in office. The charges stem from allegations that Morales fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl while president in 2016. If true, this would violate Bolivian laws regarding statutory rape, which criminalizes sexual relations with minors.
The arrest order was issued after Morales failed to attend a hearing regarding his pre-trial detention, the second such absence in recent months. Judge Nelson Rocabado, who presided over the case in the southern city of Tarija, also imposed a freeze on Morales’s assets and banned him from leaving the country.
“There’s been a warrant ordered for his search and arrest,” stated Rocabado, who also noted that the alleged victim resides in Tarija. Prosecutors have charged Morales with trafficking, suggesting the girl’s parents enrolled her in Morales’s youth guard movement with the intention of advancing their political careers through their daughter.
The accusations carry serious charges, including human trafficking and statutory rape, which could result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years if Morales is convicted. In response to the ongoing investigation, Morales has insisted that he is the victim of political attacks orchestrated by his rival, President Luis Arce.
Morales has remained largely out of the public eye, sheltering in the Chapare region of Bolivia, where he is protected by security forces. His supporters have actively protested and blocked roads to prevent his arrest, disrupting the economy as part of a larger effort to shield him from the legal process.
Despite the mounting charges, Morales has not confirmed nor denied the accusations, leaving the case shrouded in legal uncertainty. His supporters, however, continue to rally in his defense, even as groups of women have rallied outside the courthouse, calling for justice and condemning his actions.
The case has added fuel to the contentious political landscape in Bolivia, where Morales’s 2019 resignation and subsequent exile cast a long shadow over the country’s political climate. With the 2025 presidential elections approaching, Morales remains a key figure in Bolivian politics, despite being barred from seeking a third term.
As the investigation continues, Bolivia waits to see how the legal system will address the high-profile allegations against one of its most controversial leaders.