Former Bolivian President Luis Arce (2020-2025) entered San Pedro prison in the city of La Paz on Friday evening, after a judge ordered his preventive detention for five months in a case of alleged corruption linked to the Indigenous Development Fund. The entry into the penitentiary facility took place after 19:00 local time under heavy police security. This decision was made by Judge Elmer Laura of the 12th Criminal Investigation Court against Corruption, who considered there to be sufficient evidence of probable authorship in the crimes of failure to duties and anti-economic conduct. The justice system considered procedural risks, and the defense denounced political persecution. “We haven't left, we are here,” Arce briefly declared to the media as he crossed the prison gate, an image that marked a political and judicial turning point in Bolivia. As part of his defense, he presented a voluntary statement from his mother, Olga Catacora Flores, certifying that her son takes care of her personal needs and health. The Indigenous Fund case is considered one of the biggest corruption scandals of the last decade in Bolivia. The investigation points to the alleged diversion of public funds destined for productive projects for indigenous and peasant communities, many of which were not executed or left unfinished. The Prosecutor's Office maintains that Arce, in his role as Minister of Economy and a member of the fund's board during the government of Evo Morales, did not exercise the corresponding controls over the use of the funds. “They are looking for scapegoats,” he stated. The defense requested “pure and simple freedom,” arguing that Arce, 62, suffers from cancer and is the primary caregiver for his mother, a woman in her 80s. “I am absolutely innocent of the accusations being made for clearly political reasons,” the former head of state stated. He was transferred from the Special Force to Fight Crime (FELCC), where he had been held after participating virtually in the precautionary hearing. The judicial decision was made after more than six hours of deliberations, during which the judge assessed the risk of obstruction of the investigation due to Arce's possible influence over former officials and witnesses linked to the case. During his intervention before the justice system, the former president reiterated his innocence and denounced that the process has political motivations. Lawyer Jaime Tapia stated that medical reports confirm a complex oncological condition, including lymphoma, and requested the application of protection norms for people in a situation of vulnerability. Additionally, the defense emphasized that Arce has had a known residence for over two decades and that there is no risk of flight.
