Political Tensions Rise: Former Bolivian Minister Warns of Political Motivations in Arrest of Ex-President Arce

Original article: Clima “antiizquierda”: exministra de Bolivia alerta motivaciones políticas en detención de expresidente Arce

Amid escalating political tensions in Bolivia, María Nela Prada, former Minister of the Presidency under Luis Arce’s administration (2020-2025), has raised serious concerns regarding the irregularities surrounding the ex-president’s arrest, suggesting potential political motivations behind the operation executed in connection with the Fondioc case.

In an interview with RT, Prada detailed the circumstances surrounding Arce’s apprehension, which took place on Wednesday in the Sopocachi neighborhood of La Paz. According to her account, the former leader was intercepted while driving alone.

«He actually didn’t know if those who took him away were police or criminals; he really had no idea. His family wasn’t informed either,» Prada stated, emphasizing the initial climate of uncertainty and confusion.

The former official asserted that there was no arrest warrant in effect at the time of the interception, describing a procedure characterized by a lack of transparency. «Hooded individuals put him into the vehicle before transferring him to another,» she firmly claimed, questioning the legality of the actions.

Allegations of Procedural Irregularities

Prada emphasized the failures in due process, stating, «Unfortunately, [the arrest] was not carried out under the necessary legal protocols of notification or proper citation.» She added that due to his status as a former president, Arce should have undergone a constitutional process known as a trial of responsibilities rather than such a detention.

The ex-minister highlighted that since leaving office last November, Arce has remained in the country, engaging in teaching and expressing his willingness to cooperate with authorities. «He consistently stated in the media that he would stay here and respond to any judicial requirements,» she remarked.

«We had no knowledge of any ongoing legal proceedings,» she reiterated during her interview with RT.

Additionally, she voiced concern about the current state of the detained ex-president, indicating uncertainty about whether he has been able to communicate with his legal counsel, «a matter that should occur within the framework of any legal process for any citizen in Bolivia.»

Political Context: An ‘Anti-Left Narrative’

Beyond formal irregularities, Prada pointed to an underlying political motive. She suggested that the manner in which Arce’s arrest was executed could indicate «political motivations.»

In this context, she framed the incident within what she described as a climate of high polarization and a smear campaign against the political project of the Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS). She warned of a “narrative from anti-left, anti-MAS political sectors” that, «despite the social and economic advances» Bolivia has made in the last 20 years, seeks to imply that this period «must be buried.»

Her statements expand upon a serious allegation she made hours earlier in a video posted on social media.

«I want to denounce to the Bolivian people and the international community that the former President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora has just been ‘kidnapped’,» Prada stated in the video, labeling the arrest as «completely illegal.»

Charges Against Arce and the Fondioc Case

Arce’s arrest is part of an investigation into alleged embezzlement linked to the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples and Peasant Communities (Fondioc). The state prosecutor’s office has accused him of breach of duties and economic misconduct.

The acts under investigation date back to his tenure as Minister of Economy and Finance in Evo Morales’ government (2006-2019). The Comptroller General’s Office indicated that they discovered irregularities such as the absence of documentation and phantom projects, in a scheme that also resulted in the detention of former congresswoman Lidia Patty. Local news reports allege that she allowed funds from Fondioc to be disbursed to personal accounts.

The arrest of ex-president Arce has raised alarms across the country, reigniting the debate over the use of justice for political purposes and deepening the divide in a Bolivia experiencing high levels of confrontation between the ruling party and MAS supporters.