Bolivia's Tarija court issues an arrest warrant for Evo Morales after he skips his third hearing in a human trafficking trial

Summary

A Tarija criminal court declared former Bolivian President Evo Morales in contempt (rebeldía) on 11 May 2026 and issued an arrest warrant after he failed to appear for the opening of his trial on charges of trata agravada de personas (aggravated human trafficking). The underlying allegation is that Morales had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl while president, and reportedly fathered a child with her; Bolivian law classifies the offence as aggravated human trafficking, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years. The May 11 hearing was Morales's third no-show, following missed summonses in October 2024 and January 2025. The court authorised police to arrest Morales anywhere in Bolivia, ordered migration authorities to block him leaving the country, and froze his bank accounts and registered his assets. Morales's legal team argued he had not been properly notified. Since late 2024, Morales has been based in his Chapare coca-growing stronghold in Cochabamba department, where Indigenous communities loyal to him have warned that any attempt to arrest him would cause "turmoil."

The split

The Tarija court's ruling drew no significant public response from the Paz government, which has positioned itself as allowing the judiciary to proceed independently of executive interference, a contrast with the Arce administration's handling of earlier Morales-related proceedings. Morales and his Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP) faction have characterised the case as political persecution orchestrated by enemies of the "process of change." His Chapare supporters have issued explicit warnings against any attempt at physical arrest. A rival MAS faction aligned with former President Arce has not publicly defended Morales in this case. Human rights organisations have noted the case involves a minor and that the charges, if proven, would represent a serious crime regardless of the defendant's political significance.

By the numbers

• 11 May 2026, date of the Tarija court contempt declaration and arrest warrant
• 3, times Morales failed to appear at scheduled court hearings (October 2024, January 2025, May 2026)
• 20 years, maximum prison sentence under the trata agravada de personas charge
• 15, age of the alleged victim at the time of the alleged events

Why it matters

The arrest warrant creates a legal impasse with no clear resolution path. The Bolivian state has the authority to arrest Morales, but the political and physical cost of doing so, given his entrenched Chapare support base, has no precedent in recent Bolivian history. If the warrant is not enforced, it becomes an ongoing symbol of impunity for a former head of state. If it is enforced, it risks violent confrontation and would remove from politics a figure who commands a substantial bloc of the Bolivian electorate. The case also tests whether Bolivia's judiciary can proceed against a former president on sensitive charges without executive guidance.

What to watch

• Whether police attempt to execute the arrest warrant in the Chapare or wait for Morales to travel.
• Whether the Tarija court sets a new hearing date and how it handles Morales's continued non-appearance.
• Whether the Paz government takes any formal position on enforcement of the warrant.
• Whether Morales's legal team mounts a constitutional challenge to the venue or the charge classification.