Marco Antonio Oviedo, Bolivia’s interior minister, called former president Evo Morales the head of a drug cartel on Wednesday 11 November 2026. Morales replied the same day that if that were true, the minister would be working for him.
The minister’s remarks cite seizures in the tropics of Cochabamba department, not a court finding, and Morales rejects the charge. The exchange adds a drug-trafficking accusation to a long dispute between President Rodrigo Paz’s government and the man it accuses of backing 53 days of road blockades.
Key Facts
- Who Marco Antonio Oviedo, Bolivia’s interior minister, and former president Evo Morales.
- What Oviedo called Morales the head of a drug cartel; Morales denied it and answered back.
- When Both statements came on Wednesday 11 November 2026.
- Not known No court ruling or published evidence of a cartel appears in the statements.
- Power Index Bolivia ranks 13th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 27.9 points (November 2026 edition).
What Oviedo Said
Oviedo, whose official title is Minister of Government (the cabinet post in charge of the interior), told a radio interviewer that Morales “is the head of a drug cartel that comes out of the tropics of Cochabamba.” That region, known as the Chapare, is where coca is grown, and he said nothing moves there without the former president’s order.
As support he pointed to drug seizures in the region. He also said the 53 days of road blockades that gripped Bolivia in May and June were financed from the tropics.
How Morales Answered
In an interview, Morales said: “If I were the head of the Chapare cartel, he would have to be my employee.” He said attempts to link him to drug trafficking go back to the time of Arturo Murillo, the interior minister in 2019 and 2020, and that nothing was ever found.
Morales then turned the charge on Oviedo, mocking him over suitcases that went missing in the operation to capture drug trafficker Sebastián Marset. He joked that if he really led a cartel, the suitcases could be shared.
Who Is Who
Morales, who rose as a coca-growers’ union leader, was president from 2006 until he resigned in November 2019. He now faces arrest warrants on other charges, including terrorism and armed uprising, meaning an attempt to challenge the state by force.
Marset is a Uruguayan drug trafficker who was captured in Santa Cruz de la Sierra in March 2026 and expelled to the United States. Oviedo’s remarks of 11 November, as reported, did not mention him.
In Plain English
- Chapare: a tropical coca-growing region of Cochabamba department, Morales’s political home.
- Minister of Government: the cabinet member who runs the police and internal security, currently Oviedo.
- Cartel: an organised group that controls drug production and smuggling.
What It Means for You
For readers in the United States, this is a signal that drug policy is now part of Bolivia’s fight over who holds power after Morales. Nothing in the statements of 11 November points to a direct effect on travellers or US investors.
No Bolivian economic figure we track bears directly on this accusation, so we do not force one in. Our Bolivia coverage follows the story, and another case involving Oviedo shows how the same minister is handling another politically charged case.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether Oviedo will take evidence of a cartel to prosecutors or a court. Morales has not said whether he will answer the existing warrants.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Bolivia’s minister say about Evo Morales?
Interior minister Marco Antonio Oviedo said on Wednesday 11 November 2026 that Morales is the head of a drug cartel based in the tropics of Cochabamba. He pointed to drug seizures in the region and said the 53 days of road blockades were financed from there.
Has Evo Morales been convicted of drug trafficking?
The statements of 11 November mention no court ruling on a cartel. Morales denies the charge, though he faces arrest warrants on other charges.
What is the Chapare?
The Chapare is a tropical, coca-growing region in Cochabamba department in central Bolivia. Morales built his political base there among coca growers.
How did Morales respond?
He said that if he were head of the Chapare cartel, Oviedo would have to be his employee. He also mocked the minister over suitcases that went missing in the operation to capture trafficker Sebastián Marset.
Sources: Statements by Bolivia’s Minister of Government Marco Antonio Oviedo, 11 November 2026, and by Evo Morales, 11 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error