Evo Morales protests after the new arrest warrant in Bolivia | Story

Bolivia’s former president is being investigated ‘for treason’ among other things.

A Bolivian court has issued an arrest warrant for former President Evo Morales.

The Santa Cruz district attorney’s office said Morales was being investigated for “armed attacks against security and state authority, terrorism and attacks on transportation security”.

Morales helped protests in June by farmers and drivers in the fight against the economic crisis, rising spending and the austerity plans of President Rodrigo Paz.

“They will not threaten us,” he answered the charges in a post on X.

Morales said the government is following him “to hide what Bolivia is facing: economic and social problems… an example that has left the people and protects corruption”.

Morales, the first president of Bolivia, he rose from poverty becoming president, one of Latin America’s longest-serving leaders.

He held office from 2006 until the depression 2019 removedwhen he was forced to resign after the elections were marred by allegations of fraud.

At first he refused to leave power, he finally had to go, casting a shadow over almost 14 years of economic progress and poverty reduction mixed with political accusations.

He went to Mexico and later, Argentina, returning a year later after his political friend Luis Arce won the presidency.

In late 2024, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl who became pregnant.

By the beginning of 2025, Morales’ supporters blocked the streets and brought the country to a standstill in protest of the charges against him. He also refused to come to court.

As Bolivia’s economic turmoil began in May, Morales was found in contempt of court, and an additional warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of rape.

His supporters threatened to “bring chaos to the country” if he was arrested, as the protests blocked roads and forced the government to send food to other areas.

After Peace declared an emergency in June and the protests slowed down, the latest investigation began, which was triggered by a criminal complaint about Morales’ actions with the protests.

The complaint, which was presented by the development group Comit pro Santa Cruz and later taken by the Ministry of the Interior, says that Morales’ supporters “caused a shortage of food, fuel and medicine” by blocking transport in the country for 53 days.

The charges filed on Wednesday were described in a document published by local media, according to German DPA wire.

The order orders the police to arrest Morales and bring him to a special anti-corruption unit.

“We will continue to fight together with the people, as we always do, and I believe that Bolivia deserves another way: one of dignity, authority, social justice, and the restoration of hope for all,” said Morales in response to the latest cases.