Bolivian justice system ratifies pretrial detention for Luis Arce amid his medical treatment
The Bolivian judicial system has determined that former president Luis Arce must continue serving his pretrial detention in a penitentiary center in La Paz. Although the former leader is currently hospitalized receiving treatment for the cancer he suffers from, Judge Román Castro dismissed the appeal filed by the defense, which requested a transfer to house arrest.
Arce, who held the presidency between 2020 and 2025, has remained imprisoned since last December. The investigations against him focus on alleged acts of corruption committed during his tenure as Minister of Economy in the Evo Morales administration. Specifically, the Prosecutor’s Office maintains that he authorized the transfer of public funds to private accounts of peasant leaders to finance projects that, ultimately, were never carried out.
Conditions of the judicial ruling
Although the request for house arrest was denied, Judge Castro issued precise instructions to the Penitentiary Directorate to ensure the defendant’s health. Among the provisions, it is required that prison authorities exhaust all necessary mechanisms to provide immediate medical attention within the prison. In situations where internal assistance is insufficient, the magistrate ordered that he be notified to authorize immediate transfer to a hospital.
I have always said that I will face all the charges against me here in court, because he who has not stolen, he who has not killed, he who has not lied to his people has the moral standing to do so, and I will defend myself in the country.
Luis Arce, former president of BoliviaThe former president’s legal landscape
Arce’s defense has confirmed that they will appeal the resolution, arguing the need for a review based on current jurisprudence. For his part, the judge noted that the lawyers did not present suitable documentation certifying imminent risks to the former leader’s health under the current detention scheme.
In addition to the main case, the former head of state faces an additional proceeding for alleged money laundering, an investigation that also involves his son, Marcelo Arce Mosqueira, who recently obtained the benefit of house arrest in Santa Cruz. Other close relatives, such as his children Rafael and Camila, also appear in the judicial file, although their current whereabouts remain confidential.
