"A Bolivian judge has ordered former President Luis Arce to remain in detention for five months while prosecutors investigate allegations he embezzled millions of dollars from a fund meant for Indigenous communities. Arce, who left office just a month ago, appeared before Judge Elmer Laura in a virtual hearing on Friday, two days after his arrest on the streets of La Paz."
"Interior minister of the new right-wing government, Marco Antonio Oviedo, has described the 62-year-old former president as the principal person responsible for approving transfers of large sums into personal accounts of government officials for projects that were never completed. Arce maintained his innocence during Friday's hearing, saying he had no personal involvement in managing the fund and dismissing the case as politically motivated."
Luis Arce has been ordered held in detention for five months as prosecutors investigate allegations he embezzled millions from a fund intended for Indigenous communities. He was arrested in La Paz and appeared virtually before Judge Elmer Laura. The judge denied appeals for his release and cited the seriousness of charges affecting state assets and vulnerable sectors. The allegations relate to Arce's tenure as economy minister from 2006 to 2017 and claim roughly $700m was diverted from a natural-gas revenue fund for Indigenous and peasant development projects. Government officials accuse him of approving transfers into personal accounts for incomplete projects. Arce denies involvement and called the case politically motivated; his defence cited prior kidney cancer but the judge ordered five months in a state prison.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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