Bolivia's government accuses supporters of ex-President Evo Morales of taking 200 soldiers hostage

Bolivia's authorities says supporters of erstwhile President Evo Morales person taken much than 200 soldiers hostage arsenic unrest prompted by an maltreatment investigation of nan ex-leader continued for a 3rd week

LA PAZ, Bolivia -- Supporters of erstwhile President Evo Morales successful Bolivia person taken much than 200 soldiers hostage, nan country’s authorities reported Saturday, arsenic unrest prompted by an maltreatment investigation of nan ex-leader continued for a 3rd week.

Bolivia's Foreign Ministry successful a connection identified those progressive successful nan hostage taking arsenic members of “irregular groups” and accused them of besides stealing weapons and ammunition. It did not place nan groups, nor did it explicate really nan soldiers were taken hostage. But a time earlier, President Luis Arce said those protesting and attacking subject units were supporters of Morales.

Arce characterized nan seizing of 3 subject barracks successful a coca-growing area successful cardinal Bolivia arsenic “an perfectly reprehensible criminal enactment that is acold from immoderate morganatic societal declare of nan Indigenous peasant movement.”

The conflict collapsed retired 3 weeks ago erstwhile Bolivian prosecutors launched an investigation into accusations that Morales fathered a kid pinch a 15-year-old woman successful 2016, classifying their narration arsenic statutory rape. Morales has refused to attest successful court.

Morales has been holed up successful nan agrarian area of Chapare, successful cardinal Bolivia, since reports of a imaginable warrant for his apprehension emerged. Loyalist coca growers person kept watch to forestall his arrest, and supporters person threatened to return complete constabulary and subject barracks, demanding nan closure of nan judicial cases against nan erstwhile president.

The Foreign Ministry successful its connection Saturday said it is unfastened to speech pinch “all societal sectors of nan country” but warned that nan process “cannot beryllium established while nan Bolivian group proceed to beryllium victims of maltreatment by these groups who are not willing successful nan nationalist and celebrated economy, and who only activity to materialize nan individual and electoral interests of a erstwhile president.”

Last week, 30 constabulary officers were injured and much than 50 protesters were arrested aft a standoff betwixt information forces and supporters of Morales.

Arce and Morales are successful a fierce conflict for power of nan ruling party, which remains divided betwixt their supporters up of nan 2025 elections.