Bolivia’s Plurinational Legislative Assembly convened a session on Friday to examine the detention of Prosecutor General Roger Mariaca. The government has accused him of alleged ties to a criminal organization dedicated to protecting drug trafficking activities, according to reports by the EFE news agency.
RELATED:
Bolivian Prosecutor’s Office Denounces ‘Kidnapping’ Of Attorney General
The Bolivian Parliament is reviewing official reports regarding Mariaca’s arrest—which took place on Wednesday in La Paz—as well as the institutional, legal, and constitutional background of the case. The Prosecutor General remains in custody at a police facility in the Bolivian capital, alongside other individuals implicated in the matter.
The session was called to receive a report from the Minister of Government, Marco Antonio Oviedo, regarding the detention of Mariaca, the Santa Cruz departmental prosecutor Alberto Zeballos, and other individuals under investigation. A total of 14 people were arrested, including authorities, public officials, and civilians.
Diego Ávila, the Acting President of the Legislature and President of the Senate, announced that a bill would also be debated to establish mechanisms for the temporary replacement of the Prosecutor General in the event of a temporary or permanent absence.
The Assembly must also determine oversight measures and potential legislative actions to address the situation within the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Presidential spokesperson José Luis Gálvez stated that the Legislature would need to decide on the procedure for the accused’s prosecution and determine who will assume the duties of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
El ministro de Gobierno, Marco Antonio Oviedo, presentó un informe preliminar ante la Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional. Informó que Róger Mariaca, Alberto Zeballos, Rubén Aparicio y Martín Irusta fueron imputados por tráfico de sustancias controladas y organización criminal.… pic.twitter.com/pgm63qqp7E
— EL DEBER (@grupoeldeber) October 2, 2026
The text reads, “The Minister of Government, Marco Antonio Oviedo, presented a preliminary report to the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. He reported that Róger Mariaca, Alberto Zeballos, Rubén Aparicio, and Martín Irusta have been charged with trafficking controlled substances and criminal conspiracy. He announced that precautionary measures would be requested for the four individuals.”
Accusations Against the Prosecutor
Minister Oviedo indicated that Mariaca faces charges of criminal conspiracy, money laundering (legitimization of illicit proceeds), and illicit trafficking of controlled substances. According to the official, the Prosecutor General allegedly led an institutional structure that protected drug trafficking operations and had a history of links to the organization of the suspected Uruguayan drug trafficker Sebastián Marset.
Marset managed to escape a capture operation in July 2023, at a time when Mariaca was serving as the departmental prosecutor for Santa Cruz. The Uruguayan national remained a fugitive until last March, when he was arrested during an operation that did not involve the Public Prosecutor’s Office and was subsequently extradited to the United States.
Marset’s name resurfaced following the release of a video in Bolivian media in which he allegedly refers to Mariaca as his friend. However, the authenticity of the footage has not been verified.
In addition to Mariaca, the investigation also implicates three prosecutors, according to reports disclosed during the legislative session.
Álvaro Cazasola, a deputy from the Unidad party, stated that the accused are entitled to due process and maintained that the appointment of a new Attorney General is the prerogative of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.
Opposition Senator José Manuel Ormachea declared that his caucus would support the fight against organized crime and participate in deliberations regarding the status of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Bolivian Minister of Government Antonio Oviedo announced the arrest of 14 people linked to a corruption and extortion scheme within the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Among those detained are four high-ranking judicial officials from the General Prosecutor’s Office and the regional… pic.twitter.com/vExCwwkfCD
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 1, 2026
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.