Former Bolivian President Luis Arce Arrested For Corruption Case Of Farmers' Money

JAKARTA - Bolivian law enforcement officers arrested former President Luis Arce as part of a corruption investigation. This arrest opened an uncertain new chapter in the country's politics a month after conservative President Rodrigo Paz's inauguration ended 20 years of socialist rule.

A senior official in the Paz administration, Marco Antonio Oviedo, told reporters Arce was arrested on charges of breach of duty and financial misappropriation over alleged embezzlement of public funds during his tenure as economic minister in the government of former charismatic leader Evo Morales in 2006-2019.

Special police forces dedicated to fighting corruption confirmed to the Associated Press that Arce was in custody at the unit's headquarters in Bolivia's capital, La Paz.

Officials call Arce's arrest proof of the new government's commitment to fighting corruption at the highest level as fulfilling his main campaign promise.

"The government has decided to fight corruption, and we will arrest all parties responsible for the massive embezzlement of funds," Oviedo said.

However, underlining the country's polarization, Arce's allies said its arrest was baseless and smelled of political persecution.

Authorities suspect Arce and other officials are diverting funds of around $700 million from state funds dedicated to support indigenous peoples and farmers who are the backbone of the Movement Towards Socialism led by Morales.

As Bolivia's first traditional president, Morales changed the structure of state power and gave indigenous people a greater influence than ever before.

As a member of the board of directors of the Indigenous Farmers Development Fund from 2006 to 2017, Arce is responsible for allocating funds for social development projects in rural areas. During that time, according to officials, Arce abused some of the money for personal expenses.

"Arce is identified as the main person responsible for this enormous economic damage," Oviedo said.

Bolivian Attorney General Roger Mariaca told local media Arce used his right to remain silent during police investigations.

He said Arce would remain in police custody overnight before being brought before the judge to determine whether he would remain in custody pending trial.

The indictment of the corruption case against Arce carries a maximum sentence of 4-6 years in prison.