- The former Bolivian president is also linked to a case of human trafficking when he was still president. Main photo: EFE
The Bolivian authorities confirmed an ongoing investigation against the former president of Bolivia Evo Morales for the crime of sexual abuse against a minor, in addition to a case of human trafficking that would have occurred eight years ago, when he was still president of that nation. .
According to the Bolivian Minister of Justice, César Siles, the victim of sexual abuse would have had a daughter with Morales, as confirmed by a birth certificate of the minor.
“As a result of that rape, the mother gave birth to another girl and the father recognized on a birth certificate is Mr. Evo Morales Ayma,” said Siles during a press conference in La Paz on October 3.
The official specified that the process is still ongoing and the victim was between 15 and 16 years old at the time of the events.
The case came to light in the midst of a “dispute” between Morales and the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, over the presidential candidacy of the Movement towards Socialism (MAS) party ahead of the elections to be held in 2025.
For his part, Morales’ former government minister, Carlos Romero, assured that the politician faces a total of five judicial proceedings that were activated by the Arce government in the last two weeks, including one in Tarija for human trafficking and smuggling.
Prosecutor denounced his dismissal for refusing to stop the investigation against Evo Morales
On October 2, the departmental prosecutor of Tarija, Sandra Gutiérrez, reported that she was dismissed for having refused to stop the investigation into human trafficking against Morales.
The prosecutor assured that, after requesting an arrest warrant for the former president, she received instructions from her superior, Attorney General Juan Lanchipa, to discontinue the case. He mentioned that after his dismissal, a Santa Cruz court annulled the arrest warrant due to alleged procedural irregularities.
“I was asked to drop the case in the rudest manner, and since I did not do so, I have been dismissed,” Gutiérrez told reporters.
However, the attorney general denied having stopped the process and assured that Gutiérrez’s dismissal was due to “procedural errors” and “negligent conduct.”
Lanchipa was appointed as attorney general in 2018 by the MAS parliamentary majority. Since his appointment he has been accused by the opposition for alleged bias in favor of the ruling party.
President Arce requested that the case be declared confidential to protect the victim
The president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, described the case as “extremely delicate” and announced that he will ask that it be declared “reserved” so that it does not become politicized and to protect the alleged victim.
“It is an extremely delicate issue, a minor is involved, and it must be clear to the entire population that the national government will never use a case as delicate as this one, which has several implications for society, as a political issue” Arce told the media on October 3 in the eastern city of Santa Cruz.
The president maintained that the matter requires the corresponding investigation. He also recalled that his government presented bills to the Legislature to “take care of children” and that they have not been attended to so far.
Our government identifies a lot with children, we do not agree with these types of situations and it cannot be that no one goes unpunished when there is an investigation and the corresponding guilt is found, whoever it may be,” he said.
Arce insisted that they do not want the issue to “become politicized” or used, much less to resolve an issue of political differences that may exist.
The reaction of Morales and his environment
Since October 3, the former Bolivian president has expressed his rejection of the complaints against him, through publications on your X account.
“It doesn’t surprise me or worry me. All neoliberal governments, including the current one, threatened me, persecuted me, imprisoned me, tried to kill me. I’m not afraid! “They won’t shut me up!” he said.
The indigenous leader is taking refuge in the coca-growing region, where he is protected by peasants and his closest followers.
According to his former government minister, Carlos Romero, “vigilantes” and “bodyguards” have been mobilized to the place to avoid any attempt to arrest the politician.
“Since Saturday (September 28), military and police forces have arrived in the area to capture Morales, which motivated his followers to decide to protect him,” said Romero.
For its part, the politician’s defense assured that all these cases respond to a “clear political persecution” promoted by Arce, with the aim of removing him from the race for the 2025 elections.
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2024-10-05 01:56:20
