Bolivia prosecutor seeks Morales arrest over 'trafficking' of minor

An arrest warrant has been issued for Bolivian ex-president Evo Morales with calls for an initial detention period of six months on suspicion of "trafficking" a 15-year-old girl while in office, authorities said Monday.

"The exceptional measure of preventive imprisonment for six months in a public jail is being requested," the country's attorney general Roger Mariaca said late Monday.

Hours earlier, state public prosecutor Sandra Gutierrez announced she had ordered the apprehension of Morales, who was president from 2006 to 2019, for refusing to attend a summons to answer the existing complaint about his alleged "trafficking" of a minor.

The authority to issue the warrant was given on October 16, but Gutierrez did not reveal it until Monday.

"The case is very complex," Gutierrez said at a press conference, explaining she had not announced it earlier because it involved a former president -- one who has vehemently denied the accusations on multiple occasions.

Days before the warrant was granted, supporters of Morales, 65, initiated a series of grassroots protests by forming roadblocks across highways throughout the country, with the blockades lasting 23 days.

Despite the upheaval, Gutierrez confirmed police operations were initiated to arrest Morales, who has since taken refuge in the central province of Chapare, a political stronghold of his.

"It was impossible to proceed with the execution of the arrest warrant against this citizen... Many police officers were victims of aggression and attempted murder on behalf of the blockade protesters," Gutierrez said.

- 'Formal charge' -

Gutierrez added that police sent "numerous" reports explaining why they could not execute the warrant, and that they signaled "the lives of not only police officers, (but) also private individuals were at stake."

With the "formal charge" issued against Morales, he now faces a sentence of up to 10 to 15 years, according to Gutierrez.

She also said she requested an "immigration alert" aimed at preventing Morales and the alleged victim's mother from leaving the country.

The scandal dates back to 2015 during Morales's presidency, with legal documents alleging the former coca farmer had a daughter with the victim in 2016.

Prosecutors' documents say the girl had been put in the "youth guard" for Morales by her parents "with the sole purpose of climbing the political ladder and obtaining benefits... in exchange for their underage daughter."

As a result, the victim's mother was indicted alongside Morales on suspicion of "aggravated human trafficking."

Morales has previously dismissed the case as the investigation had focused on statutory rape charges, but prosecutors have since adjusted their focus toward alleged trafficking.

Monday's arrest warrant is the second against Morales for the same case.

In September, Gutierrez had ordered the ex-president's arrest, but a legal appeal by his attorneys successfully halted the move.

The high-profile scandal has played out in the lead-up to the 2025 presidential elections, with Morales accusing the government of President Luis Arce, his former ally, of conducting "lawfare" to "proscribe" him from the electoral race.

© Agence France-Presse