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Arrest warrant reissued for Bolivia's Morales after court no-show
Arrest warrant reissued for Bolivia’s Morales after court no-show Bolivia’s first Indigenous president is accused of fathering a child with a 15-year-old girl while in office The former socialist leader, who governed from 2006 to 2019, rejects the accusations Updated 11 May 2026 23:36 AFP May 11, 2026 20:03 TARIJA: A Bolivian court on Monday reissued a warrant for the arrest of former president Evo Morales on charges of trafficking a minor after he failed to show up for the start of his trial. Bolivia’s first Indigenous president is accused of fathering a child with a 15-year-old girl while in office. The parents of the teen are accused of consenting to the relationship in exchange for favors from Morales. The former socialist leader, who governed from 2006 to 2019, rejects the accusations. Morales did not attend the scheduled start of his trial on Monday in the southern city of Tarija, forcing the proceedings to be suspended. The Public Prosecutor’s Office said Morales’s “unjustified absence” confirmed his fugitive status and reissued a warrant for his arrest. He has been hiding from the law in his central coca-growing stronghold of Chapare since late 2024, guarded by Indigenous supporters who have promised to resist any attempt to capture him. Authorities first issued an arrest warrant for Morales in this case in October 2024. Morales was already declared in contempt of court in January 2025, when he did not show for a pretrial detention hearing. Wilfredo Chavez, one of his lawyers, told AFP on Friday that neither Morales nor his lawyers would show up in court as they had not been “properly notified.” The lawyer said the court did not send the summons to Morales’ address but instead served it through an edict. Morales, who rose from dire poverty to become one of Latin America’s longest-serving leaders, has slammed those “that persecute me and condemn me in record time.” His refusal to give up power in 2019 after three terms led to a tumultuous exit that cast a shadow over nearly 14 years of economic progress and poverty reduction. Forced to resign after elections tainted by fraud, he slipped away into exile in Mexico and later Argentina but returned home a year later. He failed to make a comeback last year after being barred from seeking a fourth term in presidential elections.
Bolivian Court Orders Arrest of Evo Morales After Missed Trial
On Monday, Bolivia's judicial system declared former President Evo Morales a fugitive after he failed to attend the opening session of his trial concerning aggravated human trafficking charges in the Tarija department, leading to an immediate arrest warrant. Tarija's Departmental Court President, Luis Ortiz, confirmed the issuance of a new arrest order and a travel ban for Morales after he and a second defendant—identified as the mother of the alleged underage victim—neither appeared nor provided an explanation for their absence. "Today's hearing on the human trafficking case involving former President Evo Morales and a female defendant resulted in them being declared fugitives again, as they did not show up nor justified their absence," stated Ortiz. The trial has been postponed indefinitely and will only proceed once the accused are either apprehended or voluntarily appear in court. The case prosecutor emphasized that it is the Police's duty to enforce the arrest warrant, noting that the Public Prosecutor's Office has fulfilled all procedural requirements. Morales is accused of having a relationship with a minor named Cindy S.V.P., who was reportedly between 14 and 15 years old when their involvement began. Morales was approximately 57 years old at that time. The alleged contact occurred through the "Youth Guard" or "Generation Evo," a group established during his presidency. A child was reportedly born from this relationship on February 8, 2016, with Juan Evo Morales Ayma listed as the father on the birth certificate. Tarija's Public Prosecutor's Office has collected over 170 pieces of evidence to support the charges in the oral trial. Magistrate Rossmery Ruiz clarified that a statement from the young woman, claiming there is no victim in the case, cannot be addressed until the trial begins: "Until the oral trial is set, no written statements can be resolved." Morales’ defense, led by attorney Nelson Cox, argued that the former president did not attend because he was not properly notified and cited procedural irregularities. This marks the second time Morales has been declared a fugitive in this case. In January 2025, a judge declared him a fugitive after he missed two precautionary hearings, citing illness, which led to travel restrictions, asset freezes, and property registration. Since October 2024, when the first arrest order was issued, Morales has been holed up in the Tropic of Cochabamba. His supporters blocked roads for 24 days at tha...
Bolivian justice orders the arrest of Evo Morales for skipping trial
The Bolivian judiciary declared former president Evo Morales in contempt on Monday due to his absence at the opening hearing of the oral trial for aggravated human trafficking in the Tarija department, and ordered his immediate apprehension. The president of the Departmental Court of Justice of Tarija, Luis Ortiz, confirmed that the court has ordered the issuance of a new arrest warrant and ...
Trial against former Evo Morales suspended, arrest ordered
The trial against former Bolivian President Evo Morales (2006-2019) for alleged aggravated human trafficking was suspended on Monday until the former ruler appears before the court or police ...
