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

A Bolivian judge has reissued an arrest warrant for former President Evo Morales after he failed to appear for the start of his trial. Morales is accused of fathering a child with a 15-year-old girl while in office, with the teen's parents allegedly consenting in exchange for favors. The trial, which began Monday in Tarija, was suspended due to Morales's absence. Authorities declared him a fugitive, citing his "unjustified absence" and issuing an arrest and travel ban. Morales, who has rejected the accusations, has been reportedly hiding in Chapare, guarded by supporters who have threatened unrest if he is arrested.

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales was held in contempt of court on Monday for failing to appear at a trial where he faces charges of trafficking a minor. The trial stems from accusations that Morales had a relationship with a teenager and fathered a child with her in 2016 while he was in office. Morales, who served as Bolivia's first indigenous president from 2006 to 2019, resigned following a disputed election. Thousands of his supporters have protested the investigation into these allegations.