A Bolivian court has ordered former President Luis Arce to be held in custody for five months pending a corruption investigation in which he is accused, the newspaper "El Deber".
The Attorney General's Office has requested that Arce be held in custody until the hearing, as it believes there is a risk of him fleeing or attempting to obstruct the investigation.
According to the newspaper, Judge Elmer Laura found that Arce could be guilty of dereliction of duty and causing economic damage to the state. The former president's defense requested that he remain free due to his cancer and the need to care for his elderly mother. The former president will be held in a prison in La Paz.
Arce was arrested on December 10 as a suspect in a corruption case related to the Indigenous Development Fund. The events under investigation occurred while he was Minister of Economy under former President (2006-2019) Evo Morales. According to prosecutors, with Arce's permission, the foundation's funds were transferred to private accounts. The former head of state denies any wrongdoing and considers his case politically motivated.
Arce was President of Bolivia from November 8, 2020 to November 8, 2025.