Bolivia issues warrant for Evo Morales’s arrest after court no-show

The ex-Bolivian president is on trial for allegedly fathering a child with a 15-year-old girl while in office.A Bolivian judge has found former President Evo Morales in contempt of court and reissued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to turn up for the start of his trial on charges of trafficking a minor.The ruling on Monday renewed tensions in the South American country, with supporters of Morales warning they would “throw the country into turmoil” if the former leader is arrested.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Bolivian authorities capture drug kingpin Sebastian Marset in police raidlist 2 of 4In a bid to counter China, Trump hosts a summit for Latin America leaderslist 3 of 4Bolivian military plane carrying banknotes crashes near capital, killing 20list 4 of 4Bolivia revives anti-drug alliance after nearly 18-year break with USend of listMorales, who is Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, is accused of fathering a child with a 15-year-old girl while in office. The parents of the teen are accused of consenting to the relationship in exchange for favours from Morales.The former socialist leader, who governed from 2006 to 2019, has rejected the accusations.Morales did not attend the scheduled start of his trial on Monday in the southern city of Tarija, forcing the proceedings to be suspended.The Public Prosecutor’s Office said Morales’s “unjustified absence” confirmed his fugitive status and warranted an arrest order as well as a travel ban.The former president has been hiding from the law in his central coca-growing stronghold of Chapare since late 2024, guarded by Indigenous supporters who have promised to resist any attempt to capture him.‘Ready for battle’“They think that by arresting Evo Morales, they will succeed in quelling and demobilising the movement. They are very much mistaken,” supporter Dieter Mendoza said on Kawsachun Coca radio on Monday. “If they touch Evo Morales, this will cause an upheaval … There will be an insurgency across Bolivia.”