Bolivia | The Public Prosecutor and 13 people were arrested in a corruption case and suspicions of connection to drug smuggling | CUAC

Civil Union - Follow-ups The Bolivian authorities announced the arrest of Attorney General Roger Mariasa and 13 other people, in a security operation targeting a criminal network suspected of infiltrating the judicial system and the Public Prosecution Office, according to what Reuters reported on October 1, 2026. Bolivian Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo said that the operation came in the wake of the circulation of video and audio recordings attributed to suspected Uruguayan drug trafficker Sebastian Marcet, which included allegations of paying a bribe of $500,000 to Mariasa, in exchange for facilitating the continuation of activities related to drug trafficking in the country. These developments come after the United States canceled Mariasa's visa, accusing him of exploiting his position to receive bribes, facilitate drug trafficking activities, and help defendants evade justice. On the other hand, Mariasa denied the accusations against him, and considered the American measures to be political interference related to the investigations he supervised, while his arrest raised objections from within the Public Prosecution Office regarding the legality of the arrest procedures. The case highlights the dangers of institutional corruption when there are suspicions of exploiting public positions to influence the work of justice agencies, and stresses the importance of independent and transparent investigation, holding officials accountable in accordance with the law, and ensuring that no one escapes accountability or hass his legal rights infringed. Source: Reuters