Evo said to have raped and impregnated underaged girls during his presidency
Del Castillo said he could prove his allegations against Morales
Former Bolivian Government (Interior) Minister Eduardo Del Castillo said Friday he had evidence that former President Evo Morales (2006-2019) raped minors during his time in office. The Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) presidential hopeful for the Aug. 17 elections added he could support these allegations with documentation, testimonies, and photographs. He also noted there were multiple victims, some of whom became pregnant.
In the case of Morales, I can say that he has raped girls while he was president, Del Castillo said. I can prove it, I have no doubts, he further stressed. I’m never greeting this person again. My admiration, which perhaps I once had for him, falls into the jar, and from there it does not come out. I close that jar, and I will never again feel any kind of admiration for that person, he went on.
Del Castillo also mentioned having spoken with victims who requested confidentiality and noted that his stance against Morales solidified after learning about these cases, especially as a father of two daughters.
In the meantime, road blockades by Morales’ supporters, lasting 12 days, have already caused economic losses exceeding 504 million bolivianos (around US$ 72 million) to the agricultural sector through spoiled products and unsold goods, severely affecting producers’ livelihoods, Rural Development and Lands Minister Yamil Flores explained. With this blockade, only in the agricultural area, in just 12 days, losses of more than Bs 504 million have been registered, he said.
Police and Armed Forces are deployed on highways, including in Llallagua and between Cochabamba and western Bolivia, to prevent further obstructions by Morales’ supporters and coca growers. Four officers have already been killed in clashes.
Meanwhile, Morales insisted he would not flee the country despite fearing for his life: I do not want to be killed, I will not run away, he pointed out. I am going to accompany this struggle until the end; it is the struggle of the people, Morales told Kawsachun Coca Radio. The former president hopes to run in the upcoming elections despite being constitutionally barred from holding office again.
The Bolivian Highway Administration (ABC) said there were 13 blockades nationwide Thursday, before law enforcement forces cleared the road between Cochabamba and the west of the country, particularly Llallagua, in Potosí, and Parotani, in Cochabamba.
