The former dictator did not appear before the Tarija court, and the case will continue as political tension in Bolivia rises.
The situation deepens the internal political crisis within the Bolivian ruling party. Morales has been in a strong confrontation with President Rodrigo Paz and with sectors of the Movement for Socialism (MAS), the party that governed Bolivia for nearly two decades under the leadership of the former dictator.
The Bolivian Justice declared former dictator Evo Morales in contempt and ordered his arrest after he failed to appear at a court hearing related to a case of human trafficking involving minors. The decision was made by a court in Tarija, which also suspended the start of the oral trial until the procedural situation of the former president is resolved.
The case investigates a supposed relationship between Morales and a minor during his time as Bolivian dictator. According to the accusation presented by the Prosecutor's Office, the case is linked to an alleged network of political favors and benefits granted to the adolescent's family.
The court ordered the issuance of an arrest warrant against the former president and also imposed asset and travel restrictions. The presiding judge stated that Morales did not adequately justify his absence and that, for this reason, it was appropriate to declare him in contempt according to Bolivian law.
After the resolution was made public, lawyers close to Morales denounced an alleged political persecution driven by government sectors and claimed that the former president did not attend due to health issues. However, the Justice deemed the arguments presented by the defense insufficient.
In recent weeks, Morales had led mobilizations and political events denouncing attempts to exclude him from national political life. The former president also accused the government of using the judicial system to weaken his faction within the MAS.
The Tarija court has not yet confirmed a new date for the oral trial, although judicial authorities indicated that the process will remain active while efforts are made to ensure the appearance of the former president.
The declaration of contempt represents one of the most significant judicial blows against Evo Morales since he left power in 2019 and once again places the historic Bolivian leader at the center of the political crisis facing the country.
