Former Bolivian president Luis Arce arrested over alleged embezzlement of Indigenous funds

Bolivian authorities arrested former president Luis Arce over allegations that he misused funds intended for Indigenous communities during his tenure as economy minister, former Minister of the Presidency María Nela Prada confirmed late Wednesday evening. 

Arce is accused of embezzling money from the Indigenous Development Fund during his time as Economy Minister between 2006 and 2017.

Government-run Bolivia Televisión reported that the alleged scheme resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses through so-called “phantom projects.” Arce, 62, who served as Bolivia’s president from 2020 until November 2025, now faces five criminal charges, including facilitating illicit enrichment and breach of duties, according to the interior minister Marco Antonio Oviedo.