• A severe escalation occurred as a Bolivian judge issued an arrest warrant for former President Evo Morales.
• Morales faces allegations of sexual abuse involving a minor and has missed court hearings, prompting this legal action.
• Supporters rallied on behalf of Morales outside courthouses, while government officials demand accountability.

A Bolivian judge has officially ordered the arrest of former President Evo Morales, marking a significant development in an ongoing legal saga involving accusations of sexual abuse against a teenage girl. As reported by AP News, the arrest warrant was issued after Morales, 65, failed to appear in court for the second time, citing alleged health issues.

The allegations against Morales point to a relationship with a 15-year-old girl during his presidency, claiming he fathered a child with her in 2016, which would constitute statutory rape under Bolivian law. Judge Nelson Rocabado, presiding over the case in the southern region of Tarija, stated that there is a warranted search and arrest for Morales, alongside a freeze on his assets and a travel ban. “There’s been a warrant ordered for his search and arrest,” said Rocabado during a hearing viewed by many on state television. The charges could potentially result in a prison sentence of 10 to 15 years if Morales is convicted (as outlined by The Guardian).

Morales has vehemently denied the accusations, declaring himself a victim of what he describes as political warfare initiated by his former ally, current President Luis Arce. He has taken refuge in Chapare, Bolivia, surrounded by supporters and multiple security precautions to evade arrest. Outside the courthouse, demonstrators, including mothers brandishing signs demanding justice, highlighted the societal outrage surrounding these claims, insisting that “Evo Morales abuser, girls are not to be touched.”

Further compounding the situation, prosecutors are investigating possible human trafficking charges, suggesting that the girl’s parents may have enrolled her in Morales’s political movement as part of a larger scheme to gain benefits. The case has drawn significant public attention and stoked ongoing tensions between different factions within Bolivian politics, especially as Morales attempts to secure a political comeback through ongoing party nominations despite legal challenges.

As this complex situation continues to unfold, both Morales's supporters and critics remain mobilized, underscoring the deep political rifts in Bolivia just months before the upcoming presidential elections.

For ongoing updates, follow AP's coverage of Latin America and The Guardian.