Presidential adviser Cerimedo jailed 180 days over attempted femicide of ex-partner

Public Works Minister blamed criminal "mafias" diverting subsidized fuel for resale across borders as the core driver of shortages.

By July 21, President Paz described the structure of state oil company YPFB itself as an "endemic problem," while critics argue the December 2025 subsidy cut was the proximate trigger.

Alleged links between blockade leaders in San Julián and Cuatro Cañadas and prior land-grabbing cases tied to Morales, leading to an arrest warrant issued Jul 29, 2026.

Morales rejected the charges as "politically motivated" (Jul 3, 2026), framing the protests as a spontaneous response to genuine economic grievances that he supported but did not orchestrate.

Confirms 24 deaths as of Jul 9, 2026, including roughly 14 attributed to blockade-caused hospital oxygen and medicine shortages.

Some union-aligned groups argue the toll undercounts deaths in rural and indirectly affected areas where hospital access failures went unreported.

Alleged that Argentine President Javier Milei's two C-130 Hercules aircraft transported military personnel between Bolivian cities and delivered military equipment to the Paz government.

Denied any military transport role, describing the flights strictly as humanitarian aid amid the blockade-driven supply crisis.

COB Executive Secretary Mario Argollo framed the deal as a constructive step: "we must begin to iron out our differences."

Post-deal analysis suggested the COB leadership was "delegitimised" for signing an agreement without securing its core objectives, after 53 days of blockades caused an estimated 5.5% GDP hit.

Framed the state of emergency, declared Jun 20, 2026, as necessary to restore fuel, food, and medicine supply chains after 50 days of paralyzing blockades.

Cited historical precedent — 2003 and 2019 military interventions against Bolivian protesters that ended in jailed or exiled leaders — as grounds for concern that deploying troops against civilians risked repeating past bloodshed.

Characterized the joint 900-police, 100-soldier operation as a lawful attempt to clear an illegal blockade, met with armed resistance from protesters.

Blamed security forces for using live fire against demonstrators who were exercising a constitutionally protected right to protest.

Said miners detonated dynamite and protesters threw Molotov cocktails as a 20-person delegation approached the palace, justifying the deployment of 3,500+ officers and tear gas.

Framed the delegation's approach as a peaceful attempt to present demands, with dynamite use (a traditional Bolivian mining protest tool) not intended as an attack.

Characterized the protests as an attempted "coup" against Paz and blamed "narco-terrorists" for driving the unrest.

Framed the strike as a legitimate response to fuel subsidy removal, dollar shortages, and inflation, with Colombian President Gustavo Petro voicing explicit solidarity with protesters.

Presented the 36-month EFF, agreed Jul 29, 2026, as essential to restoring reserves and macroeconomic stability, potentially unlocking $5B+ in additional multilateral financing.

Warned that IMF-linked conditionality could require further subsidy cuts or fiscal tightening that would disproportionately hurt the same working-class communities behind the May–June strike.

Argued the 15-year USD peg had become unsustainable given depleted reserves, and that floating merely formalized an already-existing black-market devaluation.

Pointed to the immediate jump from Bs. 9.73 to Bs. 10.75 per dollar (later exceeding Bs. 11) as a direct hit to households already battered by fuel price hikes and inflation above 20%.

Noted Lara's relationship with Paz "soured" early in the administration and characterized him as acting more like an internal opponent than a governing partner during the standoff.

Maintain his positions reflected legitimate policy disagreements within the elected government rather than deliberate sabotage.

Presented the law, implemented Apr 10, 2026, as a tool to unlock agricultural credit and modernize rural finance.

Denounced it as opening the door to dispossession of communal and smallholder land by lenders in the event of default, driving early mobilization before the broader strike began.

Warned publicly they would resume blockades and protests from October 2026 if the government's reform package and unmet promises from the June accord were not addressed.

Point to the 80 partial agreements signed June 3 and the broader COB accord as evidence the core grievances have already been substantively addressed.

Claimed "patriotic" military and police sources warned him of a Chapare operation ordered by President Paz and coordinated by Defense Minister Justiniano — who allegedly spent two weeks in the U.S. planning it — designed to kill rather than capture him, Aug 20, 2026.

Called the accusation "absolutely false and extremely serious," distinguished between lawfully enforcing Morales's outstanding arrest warrants and an invented assassination plan, and challenged Morales to present evidence to prosecutors.

Beller said Cerimedo attacked her after she threatened to expose evidence of corruption reaching President Paz's family, and that his official credential identified him as the president's "principal adviser."

Officials acknowledged Cerimedo's role in the 2025 campaign but denied he ever held a formal state position, describing his work as limited to digital-communications consulting with no public salary or public post.

Noted many current military and police officers owe their career advancement to Morales's 2008 "Equal Opportunities Plan," with some having attended Cuban indoctrination programs, raising questions about their willingness to act against Morales-aligned protesters.

Maintain the armed forces operated under lawful civilian authority throughout the deployment, pointing to the successful clearing of blockades by Jun 23 as evidence of institutional reliability.