Recordings allegedly linking Argentine political strategist Fernando Cerimedo to President Rodrigo Paz’s inner circle have yet to be authenticated.
Bolivia’s main parliamentary opposition force has called for an immediate prosecutorial investigation into leaked recordings allegedly linking Argentine political strategist Fernando Cerimedo to President Rodrigo Paz’s government, including one purportedly capturing a conversation with First Lady María Elena Urquidi.
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Lissa Claros, head of the Libre Alliance caucus in the lower house, called on prosecutors Wednesday to appoint a special team to establish the authenticity of the recordings, which have circulated in recent months, and clarify Cerimedo’s role in the administration.
“The recordings keep emerging every day, yet the Public Prosecutor’s Office has not issued a statement. Do they want the Cerimedo case to go unpunished? Bolivia needs to know what role Mr. Cerimedo played,” Claros said. “Was he the one running the state from the shadows, or not?”
Claros insisted that the investigation must be impartial and that everyone should be subject to scrutiny, including the president’s wife.
El agente argentino de la derecha latinoamericana Fernando Cerimedo era el “presidente en la sombra” de Bolivia: ponía y sacaba ministros a su antojo y todos los directores del Estado le respondían, reveló su exesposa Nadia Beller. 🇧🇴🗣️ #teleSUR #12Oct pic.twitter.com/1S11od16En
— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) October 12, 2026
Text ReadsArgentine agent of the Latin American right Fernando Cerimedo was the “shadow president” of Bolivia: he appointed and removed ministers at will, and all the state directors answered to him, revealed his ex-wife Nadia Beller. 🇧🇴🗣️
One of the recordings purportedly captures a conversation between Cerimedo and Urquidi about government affairs. Its authenticity has not been established through official forensic examinations.
The leaked material has fueled scrutiny of Cerimedo’s reported ties to Paz’s inner circle and his alleged influence within the executive branch. The allegations have also drawn on statements and recordings released by Cerimedo’s former partner, lawyer Nadia Beller, remarks by Vice President Edmand Lara, an opposition figure, and reports in local media.
Cerimedo has been held in pretrial detention in Bolivia since August following a shooting attack by hired gunmen targeting Beller. He faces formal charges of attempted femicide as the alleged intellectual author of the attack, as well as separate proceedings over alleged domestic and family violence against Beller and alleged illicit enrichment.
Cerimedo’s political activities across Latin America have also come under scrutiny. In Brazil, he promoted a false narrative of electoral fraud in 2022. In Argentina, he played a significant role in the digital strategy for Javier Milei’s 2023 presidential campaign.
His company was also linked to disinformation operations during Chile’s constitutional referendum campaign, in which the Rejection bloc opposed the proposed constitution. His reported political connections extend to Argentine politician Patricia Bullrich, Honduran politician Nasry Asfura and other right-wing figures in the region.
In Bolivia, Cerimedo reportedly joined Paz’s political circle as an adviser, a relationship now at the center of questions raised by the leaked recordings.
Libre’s call for a formal investigation comes as the recordings remain unauthenticated, leaving allegations about Cerimedo’s role in the government unresolved.
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