BOLIVIA · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —The country Bolivia, a landlocked Andean country of about 11 million people, is led by President Rodrigo Paz, in office since November 2025.
- —Why it matters Uruguayan drug suspect Sebastián Marset was captured in Bolivia and is held in the United States, so threats tied to that case touch a US prosecution.
- —Why now President Paz said on Monday 19 October 2026 that his family is at risk, and the government filed a criminal complaint on Tuesday 20 October.
- —What happened Paz linked the danger to his government’s decisions against the Marset network, and a deputy minister said officials were threatened through social media and messaging apps.
- —The numbers Marset spent almost three years as a fugitive before his capture in March 2026, and his US trial is set to open on 11 January 2027.
- —What it means for you Travellers face no new advisory from this story, while investors and US officials watch whether Bolivia can keep up its drive against drug networks.
- —Still open Who sent the threats, whether anyone is charged, and whether they are linked to the Marset case as Paz suggests.
- —Power Index Bolivia ranks 12th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 28.4 points (October 2026 edition).
Bolivia’s government filed a criminal complaint on Tuesday 20 October 2026 over threats against President Rodrigo Paz and his family, and the Paz family threats are tied by the president himself to the capture of drug suspect Sebastián Marset. Marset, a Uruguayan accused of running a cocaine network to Europe, is now held in the United States.
For US readers the story matters because the man at the centre of it faces a US federal trial, and because Washington has been leaning on La Paz over drug trafficking. The Paz family threats are so far allegations, and the government has not named anyone behind them.
Paz made the warning on Monday 19 October at the Palacio Quemado, the government palace in La Paz. The next day officials moved from words to paperwork, as the sources below show.
What Paz Said on Monday
Speaking at a ceremony to promulgate a law on the prescription and consolidation of court deposits, Paz said his family is at risk. “Mi familia tiene el riesgo por haber tomado decisiones contra los Marset, contra los criminales de alta alcurnia,” he said, which means his family is at risk because of decisions taken against the Marsets and against high-society criminals, according to the Bolivian daily Opinión.
Paz added that those who work with him are also exposed, in the words “pero también ustedes,” or “but you too.” Opinión also reported that he admitted judicial authorities posted on the border stand alone in the face of organised-crime threats.
He recalled that the United Nations has confirmed the presence of international criminal groups in the region, among them Brazil’s Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), a prison-born gang, and the Comando Vermelho (CV), a Rio de Janeiro gang. Opinión added that international intelligence and judicial investigators describe the PCC as one of the main allies and protectors of the Marset network, a claim that rests on those investigators and not on the president’s speech.
What the Government Did on Tuesday
The deputy minister of Transparency, Legal Security and Human Rights, Marcelo Yamil García, said the complaint was formalised before the Public Prosecutor’s Office so that a criminal investigation can open. The Uruguayan outlet Montevideo Portal and the Bolivian papers El Deber and Opinión all reported the filing on Tuesday.
García said the intimidation is not confined to one setting and has come through social networks and direct messaging apps. He also said he was threatened himself, telling Opinión that “not only the president” has been exposed.
According to El Deber, García called the threats a violent reaction from structures that historically abused power and now try to stop government action against corruption. He added that the state will not tolerate organised crime using threats to stop that fight, and that the Prosecutor’s Office will work to identify who is behind them.
Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo confirmed that several threats aimed at the presidential family exist and are being investigated, Montevideo Portal reported. He gave no detail on where they came from or who sent them.
Why the Marset Case Reaches the Palace
Marset was captured in Bolivia in March 2026 after almost three years as a fugitive, and was taken to the United States, where he remains in custody, Montevideo Portal reported. As we reported earlier, a Virginia federal court is due to open his trial on 11 January 2027, and his lawyer says he has chosen to go to trial, as we covered in Marset Lawyer Denies US Talks and Says He Chose Trial.
The case has already shaken Bolivian institutions, with Attorney General Roger Mariaca removed and jailed at the end of September. The government accuses him of leading a criminal organisation that shielded drug networks, among them the one tied to Marset, while he rejects the US accusation of taking bribes, as we reported in Bolivia Attorney General Mariaca Detained at Airport.
Bolivia has also detained and handed over other foreign suspects this year, including the Brazilian Gerson Palermo, linked to the PCC, and Kléber Nóbrega Pereira, named as a Comando Vermelho leader, Montevideo Portal said. Marset’s sister Tatiana was ordered arrested after missing a hearing on 12 October, as we covered in Bolivia Orders Arrest of Marset’s Sister on 12 October.
The US Link
Washington has pushed hard on Bolivian drug policy in recent weeks. The State Department kept Bolivia on its trafficking watch list on 8 October, as we reported in Bolivia Stays on US Trafficking Watch List Again.
The US Embassy also handed Bolivia’s tactical police unit riot gear and protective equipment on 9 October, a sign of renewed security ties covered in Bolivia Police Get US Riot Gear on 9 October. None of the sources reviewed says the United States has commented on the threats against the Paz family.
What It Means for You
For travellers the story does not change the picture, since the threats are aimed at officials and none of the sources reports danger to visitors. Anyone planning a trip can read our monthly guide What to Do in La Paz in October 2026 and should check official US travel advice before going.
For investors, businesses and US officials, the signal is about state strength, because a president who says his family is at risk is asking whether Bolivia can keep up its push against drug networks. Our explainers Bolivia Politics Explained, Who Holds Power in 2026 and Bolivia’s Role in Latin America Explained show who holds power around Paz.
What Is Not Known
No source reviewed says who sent the Paz family threats, how many there were, or what exactly they said. Paz and García link them to organised crime and to the actions against Marset, but those are the officials’ own statements and no investigator has confirmed the link.
It is not known whether the Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened a formal case file or named any suspect. Oviedo gave no detail on protection for the presidential family, and no US government comment was found.
We could not open the complaint itself, so the account rests on three independent outlets, Opinión and El Deber in Bolivia and Montevideo Portal in Uruguay, which agree on the filing, the speakers and the quotes. A further check will be possible if prosecutors publish a case number or the president’s office releases a statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Paz say about threats to his family?
Paz said on Monday 19 October that his family is at risk because of decisions taken against the Marsets and other criminals. He made the remark at a ceremony in the Palacio Quemado in La Paz.
Did Bolivia file a complaint over the Paz family threats?
Yes, the government filed a criminal complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday 20 October. Deputy Minister Marcelo Yamil García confirmed it to local media.
Who is behind the Paz family threats?
That is not known, and no one has been named. Paz links them to organised crime and the Marset case, but investigators have not confirmed the link.
Who is Sebastián Marset?
Marset is a Uruguayan accused by US prosecutors of running a cocaine network to Europe. He was captured in Bolivia in March 2026 and is held in the United States.
Does this affect travellers to Bolivia?
None of the sources reports any danger to visitors, because the threats are aimed at officials. Travellers should still check official US travel advice before going.
Sources: Opinión, Cochabamba, 20 October 2026; El Deber, Santa Cruz, 20 October 2026; Montevideo Portal, 20-21 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief