Bolivia jails ex-president Arce on corruption charges ahead of trial

Former person denies charges implicit alleged diversion of funds meant for Indigenous improvement projects

A Bolivian justice has ordered erstwhile President Luis Arce to stay successful detention for 5 months portion prosecutors analyse allegations helium embezzled millions of dollars from a money meant for Indigenous communities.

Arce, who near bureau conscionable a period ago, appeared earlier Judge Elmer Laura successful a virtual proceeding connected Friday, 2 days aft his apprehension connected the streets of La Paz.

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The justice rejected appeals from Arce’s ineligible squad for his merchandise and ruled helium indispensable await proceedings successful 1 of the capital’s largest prisons, citing the seriousness of charges that “directly impact authorities assets and resources allocated to susceptible sectors”.

No proceedings day has been set.

The accusations centre connected Arce’s clip arsenic system curate nether erstwhile President Evo Morales betwixt 2006 and 2017, erstwhile authorities accidental helium oversaw the diversion of astir $700m from a authorities money created to transmission earthy state revenues into improvement projects for Indigenous peoples and peasant farmers.

Interior curate of the caller right-wing government, Marco Antonio Oviedo, has described the 62-year-old erstwhile president arsenic “the main idiosyncratic responsible” for approving transfers of ample sums into idiosyncratic accounts of authorities officials for projects that were ne'er completed.

Arce maintained his innocence during Friday’s hearing, saying helium had nary idiosyncratic engagement successful managing the money and dismissing the lawsuit arsenic politically motivated. “I’m a scapegoat,” helium told the judge. “The accusations are politically motivated.”

His defence lawyers had requested his merchandise connected wellness grounds, noting his erstwhile conflict with kidney cancer.

However, Judge Laura denied the entreaty and exceeded the prosecution’s petition of 3 months’ detention by ordering 5 months successful a authorities situation alternatively than a juvenile facility.

The lawsuit archetypal emerged astir a decennary agone successful 2015 erstwhile the Indigenous money was unopen down amid corruption allegations, but investigations stalled during the years of Movement Toward Socialism governance.

The probe was revived aft blimpish President Rodrigo Paz took bureau past month, ending astir 2 decades of left-wing regularisation successful Bolivia.

Paz campaigned connected promises to root retired corruption astatine the highest levels arsenic Bolivia grapples with its worst economical situation successful 40 years. His vice president, Edmand Lara, celebrated Arce’s apprehension connected societal media, declaring that “everyone who has stolen from this state volition instrumentality each past cent”.

Former ministers successful Arce’s medication person condemned the apprehension arsenic an maltreatment of powerfulness and governmental persecution against the Movement Toward Socialism party.

If convicted, Arce faces up to six years successful prison.