Bolivia to arrest former President Evo Morales in due course

La Paz, Dec 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Bolivian government will arrest former President Evo Morales in due course, a senior official said.

"We have to wait for the right moment. The action will be taken, and the arrest warrant will be complied with without putting the lives of innocent people at risk," Deputy Minister of Coordination and Government Management Gustavo Torrico said.

The former President now stayed in the region protected by a security team organised by loyal social movements in Chapare in Cochabamba department. During the Christmas dinner, he thanked his followers for their support, describing the arrest attempt as a political persecution.

Earlier on December 19, Bolivian prosecutors requested an immigration alert for Morales, who was accused of human trafficking, Minister of Government Eduardo del Castillo said.

The charges accused Morales, who served as President from 2006 to 2019, of involvement in a human trafficking case linked to a 2015 rape investigation. An arrest warrant was also issued as part of the ongoing probe.

Del Castillo stated that the Bolivian Police would comply with the court's decision.

On Tuesday, Morales claimed that he was the victim of a 'brutal legal war' aimed at blocking his candidacy in the upcoming general election and handing him over to the United States as a 'political trophy.' He also accused the authorities of violating constitutional principles of presumed innocence and due process.

At the time, the former President was taking refuge in the Cochabamba tropics, a region where he enjoyed strong support from coca growers.

"We have elite security," said Vicente Choque, political secretary of the Six Federations of the Tropic of Cochabamba and a follower of Morales. He also warned of possible confrontations if the former president's arrest were carried out.

Earlier on October 16, an arrest warrant against Morales was issued but was not able to be executed because his address was unknown and due to roadblocks formed by his supporters that lasted 23 days.

In September, the Bolivian government had confirmed that Morales, who was the country's President from 2006 to 2019, is constitutionally barred from running for the 2025 presidential elections.

The restriction stemmed from the country's Constitution, not a decision made by the current administration, said Deputy Communication Minister Gabriela Alcon.

Alcon urged Morales' supporters to respect Bolivia's legal framework, as some have staged protests demanding his candidacy be allowed.

"The most important thing is to respect the will of the Bolivian people," Alcon said, pointing out that the country's constitution was approved by its citizens and "must be upheld."

Source: IANS