Bolivian Judge Orders Arrest of Ex-President Evo Morales on Human Trafficking Charges

The former president is accused of abusing a minor and faces charges of statutory rape and trafficking, while claiming the case is politically motivated.

• A Bolivian judge has issued an arrest warrant for ex-president Evo Morales after he failed to appear in court for the second time regarding allegations of abusing a minor.
• The charges stem from accusations that Morales had a relationship with a 15-year-old girl in 2015 while in office, later fathering a child with her in 2016.
• Prosecutors allege the girl's parents enrolled her in Morales's political youth group for personal gain, leading to charges of human trafficking that carry a potential 10-15 year prison sentence.
• Morales, who has denied the charges, claims they are part of a political campaign by his former ally and current president, Luis Arce, to block his 2025 presidential bid.
• Supporters of Morales have staged demonstrations and road blockades in his political stronghold, while he remains in a heavily guarded union headquarters to avoid arrest.

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