Bolivia opens probe into nearly 600 former Morales officials

LA PAZ: Bolivia’s interim government said it would launch a corruption probe into nearly 600 officials of the former administration, including ex-president Evo Morales “It has been decided to initiate investigations against 592 former officials,” Mathias Kutsch, the justice ministry’s chief anticorruption investigator, told a news conference.

The probe will include Morales, vice-president Alvaro Garcia, ministers, vice-ministers, heads of cabinet and public administration officials, Kutsch said.

He added that the investigation would identify those who had “committed corruption crimes, who diverted public resources, and chiefly, who diverted them to other countries.”

Morales, Garcia and various other members of the government who resigned after the former president stepped down amid protests in the South American country in November have sought asylum abroad.

A group of around 10 former officials are sheltering inside the Mexican ambassador’s residence in La Paz.

In a separate move Wednesday, Interior Minister Arturo Murillo said Bolivian authorities had called on Interpol to arrest Morales to prevent him travelling to Chile where he has been invited to participate in a human rights forum.

“We have given the order for the activation by Interpol of the warrant we have drawn up against Evo Morales, given the news from Chile,” he told reporters.

The government in November issued a warrant for Morales’ arrest should he return to Bolivia.

On Twitter, Morales denied he had received an invitation from Chile.

The ex-president initially fled to Mexico but is now living in Argentina.

Bolivia’s first indigenous president, he claimed he was overthrown in a coup supported by the United States.

Since coming to power, the interim right-wing government has regularly denounced corruption committed under Morales’ 14-year rule. — AFP