Bolivia orders arrest of former president Evo Morales for terrorism over 50-day protest blockades

Arrest warrant issued

On Wednesday, 29 July, prosecutor Brayan Melgar ordered the arrest of former president Evo Morales on six charges: terrorism, armed uprising against state security, attack on transport security, criminal association, public instigation to commit crimes, and attack on public services security. The order stems from a complaint filed in early July by the Comité Cívico Pro Santa Cruz, a conservative civic group from Bolivia's most populous region, later joined by the Ministry of Government under Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo. The legal action also names COB leader Mario Argollo and peasant leader Vicente Salazar, who has been in preventive detention since 6 July. Attorney General Roger Mariaca confirmed the order to the press.

Protests that paralyzed the country

Between May and June 2026, Bolivia was gripped by over 50 days of road blockades led by peasant unions and the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), with support from groups aligned with Morales. Protesters demanded the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz, citing the worst economic crisis in four decades. The blockades, concentrated in western and central Bolivia, caused severe shortages of food, fuel, and medical oxygen in cities like La Paz and El Alto. At least 16 people died, 13 of them due to lack of timely medical care, and economic losses exceeded $3 billion. The Defensoría del Pueblo later reported 22 deaths and 88 injuries, though it noted multiple figures were circulating.

Government response and state of exception

President Paz, who took office on 8 November 2024, ending nearly 20 years of leftist rule under Morales and Luis Arce, accused Morales of orchestrating the unrest. In early June, the United States and its allies in the Shield of the Americas (Argentina, Chile, El Salvador) denounced what they called efforts to overthrow the Bolivian government. On 24 May, Morales had written on X that Paz had only two paths: militarize the country or call elections within 90 days. After reaching agreements with the COB, Paz declared a state of exception on 20 June, deploying military and police to clear the remaining blockades. The protests subsequently dispersed.

Morales rejects charges

Morales, 66, responded on social media platform X, writing that the government issued a new arrest warrant against him, accusing him of terrorism and armed uprising. He said the government seeks to blame him for the social mobilizations to hide the economic crisis.

Today the government issues a new arrest warrant against me, accusing me of alleged crimes of terrorism and armed uprising. They seek to hold us responsible for the social mobilizations to hide the true drama Bolivia is living: a deep economic and social crisis, the result of a model that has abandoned the people and protects corruption. They will not intimidate us. We will continue fighting alongside the people, as we have always done, with the conviction that Bolivia deserves a different path: one of dignity, sovereignty, social justice, and the recovery of hope for all.

Morales has been evading justice since 2024 in his coca-growing stronghold in the Chapare region, where he faces a separate arrest warrant for alleged abuse of a minor during his presidency.

What comes next

With the arrest order now public, authorities face the challenge of locating Morales, who remains in the Chapare. The case is likely to deepen political polarization in Bolivia, where Paz's government is struggling with an economic crisis and lingering social unrest. The complaint also targets union leaders, and the government has already detained Salazar, signaling a broader crackdown on protest organizers.