Bolivia’s ex-president faces arrest over sexual abuse allegations
A Bolivian judge has ordered the arrest of former President Evo Morales over allegations of a relationship with a teenage girl during his time in office.
The ruling came after Morales, 65, missed a court hearing for the second time.
The judge also froze his assets and banned him from leaving Bolivia.
The case accuses Morales of trafficking, with prosecutors claiming the girl's parents used her connection to him for political benefits.
Morales denies the charges, calling them a political attack by President Luis Arce, his former ally turned rival.
In a social media post, Morales said the accusations aimed to block him from running in the 2025 presidential elections.
The case has sparked protests by Morales's supporters, who claim the allegations are part of a plot to silence him. Some have blocked roads and threatened to defend him at all costs.
The trafficking charges carry a prison sentence of 10 to 15 years. Morales’s lawyer argues the case is flawed, claiming there is no victim. Police have yet to enforce the arrest warrant.
Morales was Bolivia's first Indigenous president and ruled for nearly 14 years before leaving office in 2019 amid allegations of election fraud.
He is now seeking a political comeback despite legal challenges.
