For almost 14 years, Evo Morales He was the most influential political figure in Bolivia. First indigenous president of the country and dominant leader of the Movement to Socialism (MAS), He governed with large majorities, promoted economic reforms focused basically on the nationalization of hydrocarbons and consolidated a leadership that seemed solid. However, His permanence in power was also marked by strong episodes of polarizationcomplaints of authoritarianism and the political crisis that precipitated his departure in 2019, in addition to the subsequent internal partisan struggle. Now, since May 11, the former president faces one of the most delicate moments of his life: an oral trial for aggravated human trafficking that could lead to a sentence of several years in prison.

They also assured that the case was already treated and resolved in 2020, so the former president should not be prosecuted again. Likewise, they stated that “there is no victim” and that the accusation against them has a “political” purpose.

From October 2024, Evo Morales remains a refugee in the Tropics of Cochabamba, his political and union stronghold. At the time, the police could not execute an arrest warrant against him because his followers blocked roads for 24 days to prevent the agents from entering.

Wilfredo Chavezone of the defense attorneys Moralessaid last week that the start of the trial responds to “a political persecution that arises at a time when there are deplorable conditions in the country, especially at an economic level, and conflicts in the streets.” He added that they seek to “divert attention” from the union protests in recent weeks against the government of the President Rodrigo Paz.

The case against Evo Morales

The Prosecutor’s Office accuses Morales of having had a relationship with a minor (identified as Cindy Saraí VP) in 2015, when she was 15 years oldand product of which A daughter was supposedly born in 2016 while he was president.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the environment of the then president would have facilitated the link through the call Presidential Youth Guard, made up of young people related to the ruling party and politically linked to the MAS.

According to the official discourse of the time, the Presidential Youth Guard had symbolic and political functions: accompanying public events of the president, participating in mobilizations, reinforcing protocol activities and promoting the political training of young MAS militants. Its members used to appear at official events, receptions and social activities. Morales dressed in military-like uniforms.

Besides, Prosecutors claim to have gathered more than 170 pieces of evidence to support the accusation against Morales.

And Evo Morales is found guilty of the crime of aggravated human trafficking, could face a sentence of between 15 and 20 years in prison, as established in article 281 bis of the Bolivian Penal Code when the victim is a minor.

In addition to the accusation of aggravated trafficking, possible crimes linked to statutory rape were also mentioned at different stages of the investigation, although the current trial is focused on the case of aggravated human trafficking.

What did he say and where is the alleged victim?

The court case against Evo Morales It was not initiated by a direct complaint from the alleged victim, but rather was driven by the Departmental Prosecutor’s Office of Tarija in September 2024, after the alleged existence of a relationship between the former president and a teenager was publicly known when he was in power.

The first revelations emerged in 2020, during the transitional government of Jeanine Áñez, when the then Government Minister Arturo Murillo He publicly denounced that Morales had had a relationship with a minor. The authority presented documents, including a birth certificate of a daughter attributed to the former president. Based on this, the Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation for alleged crimes linked to the rape.

Initially, The investigation faced difficulties because the minor and her family publicly denied having been victims of any crime.. In statements released in Bolivia, the young woman maintained that she had a “consensual” relationship with Morales and denounced political pressures surrounding the case.

With the passage of time, The Prosecutor’s Office reformulated the investigation under the crime of aggravated human trafficking. He argued that, even if there was consent, Bolivian law considers it aggravating that the alleged victim was a minor and that there had been an alleged recruitment mechanism through the so-called Presidential Youth Guard.

In the process it was also included as co-accused the mother of the young woman, under the hypothesis that it would have facilitated the relationship with Morales.

In 2025, the alleged victim, her mother, and the daughter born from that relationship obtained refuge in Argentinaaccording to Bolivian authorities.

“The political decline of Evo Morales is already irreversible”