Bolivia’s Judicial Crisis Deepens Tensions With Rodrigo Paz’s Government

The relationship between Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz’s government and the judiciary has reached its most strained point since he took office. In recent weeks, former Attorney General Roger Mariaca was arrested on suspicion of links to drug trafficking, while Supreme Court of Justice President Romer Saucedo left Bolivia with his family, saying he had faced threats and political persecution.

The cases have become central to the government’s argument for reforming Bolivia’s justice system. Since taking office in November 2025, Paz has said the current model does not provide sufficient guarantees to the public and that changes are needed to strengthen democracy and fight organized crime.

Mariaca was arrested in early October. The Bolivian government has accused him of favoring criminal organizations and protecting people involved in drug trafficking. His arrest came two days after the United States canceled his visa, along with those of other officials and businesspeople from Bolivia and neighboring countries. The administration of President Donald Trump has accused Mariaca of taking bribes to facilitate drug trafficking and help criminals evade justice. Bolivian authorities are also investigating a possible connection between Mariaca and Uruguayan drug trafficker Sebastían Marset.

After Mariaca’s arrest, Bolivia’s Legislative Assembly approved legal changes that allowed him to be removed as head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Congress appointed José Armando Urioste as interim attorney general. The operation resulted in the detention of 14 people suspected of involvement in a scheme to protect drug trafficking and corruption. The government has presented the arrests as an effort to restore confidence in public institutions, but the speed of the legal changes used to remove Mariaca has also raised questions in the country.

Saucedo said he left Bolivia with his family after receiving threats and fearing for his life. In a post on X, he accused Paz’s administration of political persecution and of trying to fabricate evidence against him. His departure followed a report from the Public Prosecutor’s Office that an arrest warrant had been issued for him on suspicion of controlled-substance trafficking and criminal association. The investigation remains confidential, and authorities have not confirmed his whereabouts. Interior Vice Minister Peter Maldonado said people linked to Mariaca and criminal activity were leaving the country. Paz, speaking during a visit to Spain, called Saucedo’s departure bad news but said he saw positive prospects for Bolivia’s justice system. Saucedo denies wrongdoing and says he does not intend to resign from his judicial position, to which he was elected in 2024. The Supreme Court gave him six days to return to his duties; four days remained at the time of the report. Senior Justice Rosmery Ruiz has taken over as acting court president.

The government’s reform effort predates the current crisis. In May, Paz announced plans to overhaul the justice system and Bolivia’s Constitution. A central issue is how judges for the country’s highest courts are selected. Under the 2009 Constitution, they are chosen by popular vote after a selection process in the Legislative Assembly. The system was intended to broaden public participation and reduce political influence over appointments, but critics point to low turnout, large numbers of blank and invalid ballots, and partisan disputes over candidates. The 2024 judicial elections were held only partially after court rulings blocked voting for some positions in certain departments.

Several reform proposals were submitted to the Legislative Assembly in 2026. One would replace direct elections with a merit-based process involving civil society representatives and legislative approval. The proposals remain under discussion, and concerns include protecting judicial independence and avoiding an increase in political influence over court decisions.

Bolivia’s closer relationship with the United States is another factor in the dispute. The Trump administration has supported operations against officials suspected of involvement in drug trafficking and expanded security cooperation with Bolivia. In March, Bolivia joined the Shield of the Americas, a Trump-led initiative to combat criminal organizations and international drug trafficking. Bolivian officials describe the investigations as part of an effort to dismantle corruption and drug-trafficking networks they say have infiltrated public institutions. The cases involving Mariaca and Saucedo have brought pressure on two major parts of the justice system—the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Supreme Court—and their outcomes, along with the progress of reform proposals, are expected to shape the relationship between the government and the judiciary in the coming months.