Arce is in custody as a part of a probe into alleged monetary misconduct dedicated whereas he was economic system minister, authorities says.
Published On 11 Dec 2025
Bolivian legislation enforcement officers have arrested former President Luis Arce as a part of a corruption investigation, in a polarising transfer only a month after the inauguration of conservative President Rodrigo Paz ended 20 years of socialist rule.
A senior official in Paz’s authorities, Marco Antonio Oviedo, mentioned on Wednesday that Arce had been arrested on fees of breach of responsibility and monetary misconduct associated to the alleged embezzlement of public funds throughout his stint as economic system minister within the authorities of charismatic former chief Evo Morales (2006-2019).
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A particular police power devoted to combating corruption confirmed to The Associated Press information company that Arce was in custody on the unit’s headquarters in Bolivia’s capital of La Paz.
“It is the choice of this authorities to struggle corruption, and we’ll arrest all these chargeable for this huge embezzlement,” Oviedo mentioned.
While officers described Arce’s arrest as proof of the brand new authorities’s dedication to combating corruption on the highest ranges in fulfilment of its flagship marketing campaign promise, Arce’s allies say his arrest is unjustified and smacks of political persecution.
Accusations
Authorities accused Arce and different officers of diverting an estimated $700m from a state-run fund devoted to supporting the Indigenous individuals and peasant farmers who fashioned the spine of Morales’ Movement Toward Socialism celebration.
As Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, Morales remodeled the nation’s energy construction and gave Indigenous individuals extra sway than ever.
Serving on the board of administrators of the Indigenous Peasant Development Fund from 2006 to 2017, Arce was in command of allocating funds to social improvement tasks in rural areas.
During that point, officers allege Arce siphoned off a few of that cash for private bills.
“Arce was recognized as the primary particular person chargeable for this huge financial injury,” mentioned Oviedo.
Bolivia’s lawyer basic, Roger Mariaca, advised native media that Arce had invoked his proper to stay silent throughout police questioning, including that he would stay in police custody in a single day earlier than being introduced earlier than a decide to find out whether or not he’ll stay in jail pending trial.
The fees in opposition to Arce carry a most sentence of six years in jail.
