Evo says that 600 police officers will ‘welcome’ him when he testifies in the statutory rape case

Evo Morales came out last night to talk about the lawsuit of human trafficking and aggravated statutory rape against him. The former president denounced that 600 police officers will “welcome” him today in the city of Tarija when he appears to testify in this process. The Minister of Justice, César Siles, stated that an arrest warrant could be issued against the coca grower leader if he does not appear in case Morales does not respond to the summons request.

The former president, together with former minister Carlos Romero, gave an interview to radio Kawsachun Coca last night. Morales was in the station’s studios in the tropics of Cochabamba. The coca leader reported that he received information from police and military that “600 police officers” are waiting for him in the city of Tarija in order to arrest him. after issuing his informative statement on the case of human trafficking and aggravated statutory rape.

“This morning (yesterday) I was informed and informed by both military and police brothers, and some judges and prosecutors, that the Government of Lucho Arce, Through the Minister of the Presidency and the Minister of Justice, they (ordered) Ev’s arresteither. We have just been informed that the departmental commander of the Police in Tarija informs that 600 police officers are waiting for me. Remind the population that not even in the style of neoliberal governments, but in the style of dictatorship,” Morales stated at the beginning of the interview.

As the dialogue with the coca radio station passed, Morales once again referred to his possible arrival in the city of Tarija. “As always we have defeated all governments, all processes, persecutions, confinements, expulsions, so many accusationsOnly history repeats itself and I have a lot of confidence in the people. I hope that as many police officers mobilized will be there to welcome me, (it will be a) good welcome; We hope for that,” he said.

Morales is summoned today, at 08:00, at the Tarija prosecutor’s office to testify on an accusation of statutory rape and human trafficking by the Tarija departmental prosecutor, Sandra Gutiérrez, who already had an arrest resolution last weekend.

However, there is also information that Morales will give his statement today at 4:00 p.m. in the facilities of the Comprehensive Police Station (EPI). from the Lourdes neighborhood of the capital of Tarija, where the complaint lies.

The former president was summoned to give his informative statement along with the parents of the alleged victim in a case that has been investigated ex officio by the Departmental Prosecutor’s Office of Tarija since September 26.

Prosecutor Gutiérrez excused herself from attending EL DEBER and only limited herself to corroborating the time of the appearance of Evo Morales. The authority said that the former president must give his statement at 4:00 p.m. today.

In the interview with coca radio, Both Morales and Romero denounced that the former president suffers from “political and judicial persecution” by the Arce Government and that the objective of this action is to disqualify Morales as a presidential candidate of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS).

Romero explained that there are violations in the process against Morales. The former minister said that this case was already closed in 2020 and that it is not valid to open it again. In addition, he claimed that there is no investigation and that there is a lawsuit. Finally, he observed that this process be opened ex officio in Tarija and not in the municipality of Villa Tunari, where the accused, in this case Evo Morales, resides.

“We are facing judicial hitmen and a legal outrage that was only reported to the prosecutor of Tarija (Gutiérrez) to carry out the persecution against former President Morales,” Romero said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice reported that the immigration alert requested by several people against Morales must be processed by prosecutors and defined by the judge hearing the case. who can also issue the arrest warrant in the event that the coca grower does not appear to testify.

“We hope they do their duty (to come forward); Any subpoena order clearly states in its text that in case of non-appearanceThe corresponding arrest warrant will be issued; But we are sure (that) not only Mr. Morales but the other people will come forward to tell their truth and clarify the facts for which they are being accused,” Minister Siles stated yesterday.

Parallel to the process against Morales, Minister Siles said that the Plurinational Council against Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling will speak out, which is the body that reviews this type of events and following the instructions of President Luis Arce, the members of the Council must issue a pronouncement.

Vice Minister Gustavo Torrico disqualified a complaint made by a young woman who claimed to have had an alleged “romance” with Luis Arce.