Bolivian ex-president says 'lawfare' aims to derail his run in 2025

La Paz, Dec 18 (IANS) Former Bolivian President Evo Morales has said that he is the target of a "lawfare" campaign to prevent his candidacy in next year's presidential elections.

The allegation came a day after the prosecutor's office issued an arrest warrant when Morales failed to appear to testify as part of an investigation into charges of human trafficking and aggravated statutory rape.

Morales, who was president from 2006 to 2019, denied the charges and said his constitutional rights, including being presumed innocent until proven guilty, were being violated.

Bolivian Attorney General Roger Mariaca on Monday said authorities will request a six-month detention of the ex-president while the investigation continues, Xinhua news agency reported.

In September, the Bolivian government had confirmed that Morales, who was the country's President from 2006 to 2019, is constitutionally barred from running for the 2025 presidential elections.

The restriction stemmed from the country's Constitution, not a decision made by the current administration, said Deputy Communication Minister Gabriela Alcon.

Alcon urged Morales' supporters to respect Bolivia's legal framework, as some have staged protests demanding his candidacy be allowed.

"The most important thing is to respect the will of the Bolivian people," Alcon said, pointing out that the country's constitution was approved by its citizens and "must be upheld."

Her remarks came after the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) reiterated that Bolivia does not allow indefinite re-election. The IACHR also dismissed three human rights complaints filed against the Bolivian government related to this issue.

Alcon cited Article 168 of Bolivia's Constitution, which stipulates that the president's term lasts five years and that they can only be re-elected once consecutively. Morales, who has already served multiple terms, is therefore ineligible to run again.

She also referred to a 2023 Constitutional Court ruling that indefinite re-election "is not a human right," a position supported by the IACHR.

Alcon stressed the importance of resolving political disagreements through dialogue rather than protests that risk destabilizing the country.

"We don't need to push the country toward conflict, violence, or instability. We need to focus on the well-being of the people," she added.

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