Arrest warrant issued against Del Castillo for failing to testify in Zuñiga trial
The Sixth Criminal Court of La Paz issued an arrest warrant for former Interior Minister Eduardo Del Castillo for absenting himself from oral testimony in the trial against Zúñiga. Former president Arce and other former officials testified on Tuesday.
Zuñiga trial: court orders Del Castillo's capture and Arce testifies from wheelchair
The Sixth Criminal Court of La Paz issued an arrest warrant against former Interior Minister Eduardo Del Castillo, according to noticiasfides.com. Del Castillo failed to appear to testify as a witness in the oral trial against former Army commander Juan José Zúñiga and 21 other defendants accused of the military uprising of 26 June 2024, known as the "Zuñigazo".
"There is an arrest warrant against Eduardo Del Castillo because he did not appear to testify in the oral trial, he was served notice and did not appear. It is important that he attends to testify, let us hope that the Police do their job and execute that warrant," declared Eduardo León, lawyer for former commander Zúñiga.
The former minister's whereabouts are unknown. Over the weekend, police had already activated search operations, as part of an investigation into alleged links with Uruguayan drug trafficker Sebastián Marset. During those operations, two properties in La Paz were searched and documents and computers were seized.
Aguilera testifies and is temporarily arrested
On Tuesday, the first to appear was former Vice Minister of Interior, Johnny Aguilera, who arrived at the Departmental Court of Justice of La Paz shortly after 10:30. Aguilera argued that on 26 June 2024 "there was no coup d'état", contending that law enforcement forces prevented the former military chief from entering the Government Palace and that the population's reaction also helped to stop the action.
León stated that these statements absolve his client of responsibility, although he added that Aguilera contradicted himself and could not justify the detention of the military personnel. The court determined temporary detention of the former vice minister. Wilson Echave, Aguilera's lawyer, disputed this interpretation: the detention was to guarantee his client's presence after the court recess.
Arce arrives by ambulance and responds on military command
After 15:00, former president Luis Arce entered the hearing room. He arrived in an ambulance from Arco Iris Hospital, in a wheelchair and covered with a light blue blanket. He responded to questions from the lawyers of the defendants.
When asked by León whether he communicated with military commanders during the uprising, Arce responded: "I could not assure that, at that time the military command was meeting with the Defence Minister. I contacted the Defence Minister (Edmundo Novillo)".
Four more witnesses scheduled for Wednesday
The hearing resumes on Wednesday at 08:30. León announced that the former commander of the Bolivian Police, Álvaro Álvarez; the former Vice Minister of Public Safety, Roberto Ríos; former political adviser Fernando Rodríguez; and the former head of the Military Household will appear. In addition, the defence will request the testimony of former ministers Edmundo Novillo (Defence) and Maria Nela Prada (Presidency).
General Zúñiga and the other 21 people being tried face charges of terrorism, armed uprisings against the security and sovereignty of the State, and resolutions contrary to the Constitution and the laws. The formal accusation was presented in May 2025 and the trial began on 13 July of this year.
Source: Google News BO — La Paz