La Paz, Bolivia
Reuters
—
Former Bolivian President Luis Arce, who stepped down last month, has been detained by police, a former cabinet minister announced Wednesday.
Arce may be called to testify in connection with an investigation into embezzlement allegations that occurred while he served as economy minister under former President Evo Morales, Maria Nera Prada, who served as a presidential minister under Arce, told reporters.
“Of course he is innocent,” Prada told journalists. “This is a complete abuse of power. We hope that this incident will not be used as an opportunity to carry out political persecution.”
She added that he was not notified or issued a citation. “They just took him away,” she said. Reuters could not independently confirm Arce’s whereabouts.
Local media reported that Bolivia’s specialized police force, known as FELCC, had detained Arce. FELCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The embezzlement investigation centers on alleged state spending from a fund that funds projects for indigenous communities.
Investigators cited by local media on Wednesday said evidence presented in the case implicated Arce in embezzling public resources.
The arrests come less than two months after centrist candidate Rodrigo Paz won an October runoff, ending nearly two decades of domination by the leftist MAS party, of which Arce was the president. Mr. Paz pledged to fight corruption within state institutions.
