A court in Bolivia has issued an arrest warrant for former President Evo Morales, accusing him of statutory rape and human trafficking after he failed to appear in court for questioning this week.
The charges stem from allegations that Morales fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl while in office in 2016, at the age of 57. According to the lawsuit, the girl was reportedly a member of his political youth organization, and the relationship is said to have begun in 2015. The girl's parents allegedly agreed to the relationship in exchange for unspecified political favors.
In 2016, the young girl gave birth to a daughter, whom Morales is accused of fathering. Despite the serious nature of the accusations, Morales has denied all claims, labeling them as fabricated by his political opponents in an attempt to dismantle the popular movement he led.
Morales resigned as president in 2019 amid widespread unrest following disputed election results. He has since accused the current Bolivian government, led by his former ally and now rival President Luis Arce, of using these allegations as part of a political smear campaign against him. "The traitor government has unleashed a judicial war," Morales said, claiming that the charges are meant to weaken the political opposition.
The Tarija prosecutor’s office, which issued the arrest warrant, expanded the investigation to include human trafficking and smuggling, suspecting that the girl's parents may have involved her in Morales’ youth wing with the hope of advancing their political standing.
Morales’ legal team has rejected the accusations, stating that a previous investigation into similar claims in 2020 was closed due to lack of evidence. His lawyer called the current probe "illegal" and politically motivated.
The victim's parents, who were also summoned for testimony but failed to appear, now face arrest as well.
Morales, Bolivia's first Indigenous president, was elected in 2006 and has remained a prominent figure in the country’s political landscape. He continues to assert that the allegations are part of a broader strategy by the Arce administration to undermine his influence. "This is further proof of a right-wing government following the directives of the White House," Morales said in a social media post, maintaining that the case is an attack on his family for political purposes.
The situation continues to unfold as Morales stands firm in his denial of the allegations, while Bolivian authorities proceed with the investigation.
No comments:
Post a Comment