Evo Morales defiant after new Bolivia arrest warrant | News
Bolivia Issues Arrest Warrant for Former President Evo Morales
July 30, 2026
A court in Bolivia has issued an arrest warrant for former President Evo Morales. The Santa Cruz district prosecutor’s office announced that Morales is under investigation for multiple charges, including “armed uprising against the security and sovereignty of the state, terrorism, and attacks on the safety of means of transport.”
The investigation follows Morales’s support for protests in June led by farmers and truckers, who opposed an economic crisis, rising living costs, and austerity measures proposed by conservative President Rodrigo Paz. In response to the latest developments, Morales stated, “They will not intimidate us” in a post on social media platform X.
Morales characterized the government’s actions as an attempt to divert attention from Bolivia’s ongoing economic and social challenges, blaming the current administration for prioritizing corruption over the needs of the populace.
Evo Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, served three terms in office from 2006 until his resignation in 2019, a departure marred by allegations of election fraud. His resignation came after widespread protests from opposition factions.
Following his ouster, Morales sought refuge in Mexico and Argentina before returning to Bolivia a year later, after his political ally, Luis Arce, won the presidency. In late 2024, serious allegations arose against him, including trafficking a minor and statutory rape involving a 15-year-old girl.
By early 2025, protests erupted across the nation, with Morales’s supporters blockading roads in response to the allegations, which he has consistently denied. Amid escalating tensions, a renewed arrest warrant related to these charges was issued after Morales was found in contempt of court.
Protests intensified in May 2025, leading to a nationwide blockade that resulted in shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. In June, Paz declared a state of emergency as the unrest continued. The latest investigation into Morales was prompted by a criminal complaint from the civic group Comit pro Santa Cruz, alleging that his supporters’ actions exacerbated the humanitarian crisis.
A document published by local media outlined the charges filed against Morales, directing authorities to detain him and present him to a special anticorruption unit.
In response to the ongoing legal challenges, Morales declared, “We will continue fighting alongside the people, as we have always done, with the conviction that Bolivia deserves a different path: one of dignity, sovereignty, social justice, and the recovery of hope for all.”
