Read moreEx-president Morales says Bolivia government has ‘dark plot to destroy’ him
‘Formal charge’
Gutierrez added that police sent “numerous” reports explaining why they could not execute the arrest 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.
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.
The prosecutors’ documents say the victim 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 Morales’ arrest, but a legal appeal by his attorneys was successful in halting that 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.
(AFP)
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Publish date : 2024-12-16 12:41:00
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