The former president, who has already ruled Bolivia for three terms, intends to run for presidency in the national elections of 17 August
A departmental judge annulled on Wednesday (30) the arrest warrant of the former president of Bolivia Evo Morales In a case of aggravated trafficking in persons, but the trial will continue in the political and union stronghold of the Cocalem leader. Nelson Cox, Morales’s defense attorney, said the arrest warrant “was completely annulled and the Tarija authorities were legally notified,” which means he now has “unrestricted freedom.” The investigation will now be resumed in a court in the city of Villa Tunari, in the tropic of Cochabamba, stronghold of former Bolivian president.
In October 2024, Tarija Prosecutor Sandra Gutiérrez issued an arrest warrant against Morales, later endorsed by a court of the same region, supposedly had a child with a minor while he was president of Bolivia. “Any order of default is annulled, a warrant of judicial arrest against Juan Evo Morales Ayma, as well as any kind of action that affects and/or restricts the rights claimed by the plaintiff,” says the court decision.
Cox clarified that the measure of justice was decreed after the defense of Morales filed a few weeks ago to Judge Lilian Moreno, in Santa Cruz, a complaint requesting that the process presented in Tarija be taken to a “natural judge” in Villa Tunari, where the former president lives, and that he started from “zero”.
The lawyer said that when the case is sent to Villa Tunari, the defense will claim Morales’ absolute innocence ”in a case that had” irregularities “, and argue that he was closed in 2020 and years later reopened with a new criminal type, in which” there is no formal complaint of the victim. “
In January, a Tarija Court declared Morales absent and ordered his arrest, after the politician did not attend two occasions, claiming illness, in an audience that should resolve the accusation against him for aggravated human trafficking. The court also banned him from leaving the country, ordered the preventive prohibition of his assets, the freezing of his bank accounts and that an arrest warrant be issued against the former leader of the Government Party Movement to Socialism (MAS).
In October 2024, the country’s prosecutor (MP) issued an arrest warrant against which Morales supporters blocked highways for 24 days to prevent him from being arrested. Since then, Morales has not left the Tropic of Cochabamba, where he remains protected by hundreds of his allies.
The former president, who has already ruled Bolivia for three terms, intends to run for presidency in the national elections of 17 August, despite a constitutional decision that prohibits continuous or discontinuous reelection for a third term onwards.
Morales and his supporters announced that they will go to La Paz on May 16 to register his candidacy, without yet revealing the name of the party with which he will compete for the elections, after being removed from the command of MAS, which he founded and led for almost 30 years.
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He distanced himself from the president of the country and former co -religionist, Luis Arce, due to differences in government and MAS administration. Last Monday, Arce was proclaimed presidential candidate of the governor party to try to reelect himself.
*With information from EFE
Posted by Nátaly Tenório
Source: Jovempan
I have been working as a journalist for over 10 years. In that time, I have covered the news from all corners of the world, and written about everything from politics to business.I’m now a full-time author, and my work can be found at Global happenings. My aim is to bring you up-to-date news and views on global affairs, in a format that is easy to read and understand.
