Overview
- Judge Elmer Laura ordered Luis Arce held in a La Paz prison for five months of pre-trial detention, with a court hearing set for May 12, 2026.
- Prosecutors charge Arce with breach of duty and economic misconduct tied to alleged diversion of public funds from the state Indigenous Fund during his tenure as economy minister under Evo Morales.
- Arce denied wrongdoing during the hearing and previously invoked his right to remain silent, as allies labeled the case political persecution.
- Vice President Edman Lara praised the arrest and said more prosecutions will follow as the new government prioritizes accountability for graft.
- The FELCC detained Arce on Dec. 10 as authorities revive the long-running Indigenous Fund investigation, with reported loss estimates ranging from tens of millions of dollars to far higher figures.