The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of America (ALBA-TCP, in Spanish) on Friday condemned the detention of former Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora, warning that the case signals the onset of a politically motivated judicial campaign in Bolivia, as Arce appeared in court to deny allegations of corruption linked to his administration.
The regional bloc cautioned that a pattern already known to the region has been set in motion -one through which the judicial system has historically been instrumentalized “or purposes of “political persecution”.
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ALBA-TCP further warned that these proceedings resemble classic lawfare tactics, designed to “delegitimize, neutralize, and persecute” progressive political figures.
Such actions are not driven by democratic will, but by the actions of lobbies and national oligarchies, as part of a strategy that, according to ALBA-TCP, aims to “reverse social achievements, dismantle sovereign projects, and undermine the will of the peoples through non-electoral mechanisms.”
The organization also accused far-right forces across the region of orchestrating a broader strategy intended to override the will of the electorate through judicial and administrative means rather than elections.
#COMMUNIQUÉ || ALBA EXPRESSES ITS DEEP CONCERN REGARDING THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT LUIS ARCE CATACORA pic.twitter.com/4PbZfshRtg
— ALBA (@ALBATCP) December 13, 2025
Arce Denies the Charges
Meanwhile, on Friday, Arce appeared before a Bolivian court, where he denied all wrongdoing and dismissed allegations that he misappropriated funds from a government program created to benefit Indigenous communities.
Days earlier, a judge had ordered him held in preventive custody for five months at a La Paz detention facility, as part of an inquiry into alleged irregularities tied to the fund during his tenure as a minister under former President Evo Morales.
Arce’s defense team reaffirmed his innocence, citing the presumption of innocence and protections outlined in Article 6 of Bolivia’s Criminal Procedure Code. They also pledged full cooperation with investigators and guaranteed Arce’s attendance at all required legal proceedings.
Prosecutors maintain that the accusations relate exclusively to actions taken before Arce became president.
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