On Saturday, November 2, armed supporters of former Bolivian president Evo Morales seized a military facility and took 200 soldiers hostage near Cochabamba, Bolivia. According to Bolivian news agency ANF, the group demanded the state to end an investigation of alleged statutory rape and human trafficking against Morales. This is a significant escalation of violence and tension between Morales’ supporters and current president Luis Arce’s supporters, who have taken to the streets and even engaged in street brawls to show their support. Tensions only inflamed further after prosecutor Sandra Gutierrez announced she would issue an arrest warrant for Morales after he failed to attend a hearing in early October. In response, followers of the former president set up blockades on two major roads. According to the BBC, 12 people were arrested, and 1 police officer was injured when law enforcement tried to lift the blockades. Supporters have said they will keep the blockades up indefinitely and could set up more if Morales is arrested. Both Arce and Morales intend to run as candidates for the Mas party in the 2025 elections, which will likely cause more tensions and violence in the months leading up to the election.
“We do not want bloodshed. We have always sought sincere dialogue[…] We ask that two roundtables be set up to discuss economic and political issues. The persecution and repression must stop. We call on international organizations and friendly nations to act as intermediators in this situation,” said Morales on X.
The primary focus at hand should be de-escalation of violence. Morales has yet to call on his supporters holding the soldiers hostage to release them, which is a significant failing on his part. His claims of wanting peace are not credible if he has not condemned his supporters’ actions. While supporters of both Morales and Arce have engaged in political violence, Morales has not condemned these actions and has even encouraged his supporters to continue fighting “persecution and repression.” Both Morales and Arce must condemn this violence and reduce tensions before the elections are underway, or there is a risk of even more violence regardless of the outcome. Additionally, international organizations and allies of Bolivia should heed Morales’ calls for mediation to look for a peaceful resolution. But before this intervention can begin, both men must do their part to de-escalate the situation and show they are willing to respect the rule of law, the decision of the Bolivian people, and their commitment to peace.
Morales was the president of Bolivia between 2006 and 2019 and was declared the winner of the 2019 election. However, he resigned a few weeks later after protests and claims of election fraud. The accusations of rape and human trafficking against him were filed in 2020. The accusation says Morales had sexual encounters in 2015 with a girl who was reportedly underage at the time, and prosecutors argued this constituted statutory rape. They also found he took her on trips abroad, which counted as human trafficking. Morales has denied these accusations, claiming they were part of a vendetta against him by the interim president after he resigned. This initial arrest warrant was annulled after Morales’ lawyers argued due process hadn’t been followed. A new arrest warrant has yet to be issued.
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