• Former President Luis Arce of Bolivia arrested amid corruption allegations.
• Charges include breach of duty and financial misconduct linked to a public fund.
• Current government claims arrest is part of an anti-corruption campaign.

Former Bolivian President Luis Arce has been arrested as part of a corruption investigation concerning alleged financial misconduct during his tenure as economy minister under former President Evo Morales. The arrest was confirmed by the Bolivian government, which described it as a decisive move against corruption, marking a significant shift in political dynamics following the inauguration of the center-right President Rodrigo Paz. Officials, including Bolivia’s Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo, stated that Arce is charged with "breach of duty and financial misconduct" related to the alleged embezzlement of approximately $700 million from a state-run fund aimed at supporting Indigenous communities, according to Al Jazeera, BBC, and Latin America Reports.

Arce, who served as Bolivia's president from 2020 until November 2025, is alleged to have facilitated the misappropriation of funds intended for Indigenous development projects while serving in office from 2006 to 2017. Additionally, according to reports, he is accused of allowing these funds to be transferred to personal accounts, thus implicating him in multiple serious offenses including abuse of influence and dereliction of duty. Current government representatives insist that this arrest reflects their commitment to accountability and anti-corruption, highlights that Arce and other implicated officials will face justice, as noted by BBC and Latin America Reports.

The investigation leading to Arce's arrest has been ongoing for several years, and the implications of his actions could amount to economic damage reaching Bs 360 million (around USD $52 million). His supporters, however, view the arrest as a politically motivated attack, claiming it represents a "total abuse of power." Former cabinet member María Nela Prada characterized Arce’s detention as akin to "kidnapping," asserting his innocence in a video conveyed via social media, according to Al Jazeera and Latin America Reports.