Controversy in Bolivia over ruling in favor of Evo Morales in a case of child abuse

LA PAZ, Bolivia. — A ruling in favor of former President Evo Morales has rescinded the arrest warrant against him in the case of alleged abuse of a 15-year-old girl while he was president. The incident sparked controversy among judicial authorities due to the existence of two contradictory rulings of the same rank.

Judge Lilian Moreno , of a court in the Santa Cruz region, suspended the arrest warrant against Morales and annulled his formal charges ,” the former president’s lawyer Jorge Pérez told the media. The same judge issued a first ruling in favor of Morales in October 2024 , which attempted to annul the arrest warrant for the same case, but it was not complied with.

The 65-year-old former president has been under investigation since October for alleged human trafficking . He was summoned to testify, but has so far not appeared before the prosecutor's office. As a result, he faces an arrest warrant . Since the investigation began, the former president has taken refuge in his coca-growing fiefdom in Chapare, central Bolivia, where he receives the protection of his supporters.

Last January, another judge declared Morales in contempt of court and issued an order prohibiting him from leaving the country . His accounts were also frozen , among other measures.

Supreme Court President Romer Saucedo explained that there are two rulings on the case that are of equal standing : one in La Paz, which grants the protection in favor of the victim; another in Santa Cruz , which favors Morales.

"We're going to make a comparison so we can make a decision. As the highest court of justice in Bolivia," he added.

The Judicial Council announced that it will review whether the court's decision complied with the regulations and warned that, if it did not, the judge could face sanctions.

“After a long time I feel that justice has arrived ,” Morales reacted on his X account, formerly Twitter.

Unity is the triumph of the people and the defeat of the empire.

Instead of supporting and applauding the administrators of justice who only apply the laws, the highest judicial authorities prevaricate, do not respect the independence of judges and anticipate, through the press,... pic.twitter.com/bzwbwpeX83