Bolivian government denies attempt to kill Evo Morales

Bolivia’s government has rejected claims by the former president, Evo Morales, that it ordered a targeted attack on him.

Morales says his car came under sustained gunfire on Sunday night in the Cochabamba region, in what he condemned as an attempt on his life.

But Bolivia’s Interior Minister, Eduardo del Castillo, said the former president’s convoy had fled an anti-drugs patrol, during which his security team fired at police and ran over an officer.

Evo Morales is involved in a power struggle with President Luis Arce over who should be the Movement for Socialism (Mas) party’s candidate in next year’s election.

On Sunday, Morales posted a video to social media which appeared to show at least two bullet holes in the windscreen of a car in the front seat of which he was sitting.

In a statement, a pro-Morales faction of the Mas party said men in black had fired on the vehicle when it passed by a military barracks. The faction said it held President Arce’s government responsible.

But on Monday, del Castillo told a news conference an anti-drug trafficking unit was on a standard highway patrol when Morales’ convoy shot at police and ran over an officer.

“Mr Morales, nobody believes the theatre you have staged,” he added.

Morales has disputed this account, saying in a post on X that he had been shot at “more than 18 times”. He had shot back after the police opened fire, he said.

Morales, who was president from 2006 to 2019, is facing legal issues including investigations for alleged statutory rape and human trafficking, which he denies.

For weeks, his supporters have blocked key roads around the country and clashed with police.

Morales argues the accusations are part of a right-wing vendetta against him by the interim president who replaced him in office after his resignation in 2019 following allegations of vote-rigging.

Both he and Arce have groups of loyal supporters willing to take to the streets – and in some cases engage in street brawls – to show their backing for their candidate.