URUGUAY · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —What is happening Bolivian media released new videos of the 13 March arrest of Uruguayan suspect Sebastián Marset on Monday, 26 October, including a US DEA agent reading him his rights.
- —Why it matters US prosecutors accuse Marset of leading a cocaine network. He awaits trial in Virginia on four counts, including narcoterrorism conspiracy, and is presumed innocent.
- —The numbers Trial is set for 11 January 2027, and a judge is due to decide by 6 November on dismissal. The DEA offered up to US$2 million for his capture.
- —Who is who The DEA is the US federal anti-drug agency. Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. hears the case in the Eastern District of Virginia, a federal court.
- —What to watch Whether the judge rules before 6 November, and whether the defence uses the footage in its challenge to how Marset was questioned.
- —What it means for you US prosecutors are testing how far American courts can reach a foreign suspect accused of using US banks and a terrorism charge.
- —Power Index Uruguay ranks 7th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 45.9 points (October 2026 edition).
New footage shows a US drug agent reading a Uruguayan suspect his rights in Bolivia. He now awaits trial in Virginia.
Bolivian media released new videos on Monday, 26 October, of the March arrest of Uruguayan suspect Sebastián Marset. One shows an agent of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the American federal anti-narcotics agency, reading him his rights.
US prosecutors accuse Marset of leading a cocaine and money-laundering network. He is presumed innocent and is held in the United States, with a Virginia trial set for 11 January 2027.
What the New Videos Show
In one clip Marset sits shirtless in the rear of a police vehicle, handcuffed behind his back. In another he is barefoot, in a grey shirt and black shorts, guarded by at least four police officers.
That second clip was filmed in the presidential hangar at Viru Viru airport, the main airport of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Bolivian reports say it shows the minutes before he left Bolivia on a DEA aircraft.
In a third video, a DEA agent tells him anything he says can be used against him in court. Marset stays silent during the reading, and local reports say he answers briefly when asked to sign.
What Marset Faces in the United States
Bolivian police captured Marset in Santa Cruz on Friday, 13 March, after he had been a fugitive since 2023. The DEA said its agents brought him to the United States, where he first appeared in federal court on Monday, 16 March.
A DEA release accuses him of laundering millions of dollars of drug money through US banks, with up to 20 years possible. Prosecutors later added counts, and he now faces four, including narcoterrorism conspiracy, a terrorism-linked drug charge.
Local reports say the four counts are narcoterrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to traffic cocaine by sea, money-laundering conspiracy and money laundering. They add that he pleaded not guilty at a hearing reported on 1 July, when the judge set the January trial date.
What the Judge Must Decide by 6 November
On Wednesday, 23 September, Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. heard defence motions in Alexandria, Virginia, in a hearing of about two hours. The defence argues the United States lacks jurisdiction, that Marset was questioned improperly, and that the prosecution is vindictive.
The defence says US terror designations of two gangs, Colombia’s Clan del Golfo and Brazil’s Primeiro Comando da Capital, came later. Prosecutors answer that the designations rest on the groups’ historic conduct.
A report on the hearing said both sides had to file written summaries by Monday, 12 October. It said the judge would then decide by Friday, 6 November whether to dismiss any charges.
At the hearing, DEA agent Michael Greisen testified that he recorded interviews on the flights from Bolivia but not in Virginia. Prosecutors say Marset laundered tens of millions of dollars through European banks and their US subsidiaries.
What Bolivia Is Investigating
Bolivian justice officials are examining how the operation that led to Marset’s capture was run. One line of inquiry is the alleged irregular removal of goods from the house where he was caught.
Marcelo Ferrufino, a former national intelligence director of the Bolivian police, has been detained. Lieutenant Colonel Erick Correa has an arrest warrant and says he is in hiding until he gets safety guarantees.
An earlier video of the arrest, released on Wednesday, 30 September, led to 14 officials being detained, including Bolivia’s attorney general. The United States had announced visa restrictions on some of those officials 48 hours earlier.
What It Means for US Readers
The case tests how far a US court can reach a foreign suspect who, the defence says, avoided US activity. Prosecutors say American banks carried his money, and they use a terrorism charge for a drug network.
Banks with Latin American clients and shipping firms should watch the 6 November decision. It may shape how widely US prosecutors can use these tools.
Uruguay has felt the fallout too, as the blocked clean-record seal and the new five-year record rule show. Background is in the Uruguay news hub and the report on 10 US agents hosted in Uruguay.
What Is Not Known
None of the reports says who filmed the clips, when each was recorded or why they were released now. The footage itself could not be independently authenticated.
No ruling on the motions had been published by Wednesday morning, 28 October, in the sources that could be opened. The court docket could not be opened, so the 6 November and 11 January dates rest on published reports.
It is also unclear whether the defence will use the rights-reading clip in its challenge to the questioning. Marset is presumed innocent, and an indictment is an accusation, as the DEA says.
What Comes Next
The next sign is the judge’s written ruling on the defence motions, expected by 6 November. If any count survives, the trial is due to begin on Monday, 11 January 2027.
Bolivia’s inquiry into the operation continues, with Correa still sought. In Uruguay, the rules for police-record certificates are being rewritten after the Marset controversy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sebastián Marset?
A Uruguayan accused by US prosecutors of running a cocaine and money-laundering network. He was captured in Bolivia on 13 March and flown to the United States.
What do the new videos show?
They show Marset handcuffed after his arrest in Bolivia, guarded by police. In one, a DEA agent reads him his rights before he leaves Bolivia.
What is Marset charged with in the US?
He faces four counts, including narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine conspiracy and money laundering. He has reportedly pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent.
When is his trial?
It is set for 11 January 2027 in the Eastern District of Virginia. A judge was expected to rule on dismissal motions by 6 November.
Why does a Uruguayan face trial in Virginia?
Prosecutors say his network moved money through US banks and their affiliates. The defence says the United States has no jurisdiction.
Sources: US Drug Enforcement Administration, press release on Marset’s arrival and first court appearance, 16 March; DEA Administrator statement on the capture of Marset, 14 March; Unitel (Bolivian television channel), 26 October; Red Uno (Bolivian television channel), 26 October; El Observador (Uruguayan daily), 27 October; Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (investigative network), report on the 23 September hearing; Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, 2 October; Montevideo Portal (Uruguayan news site), 1 July; El Deber (Bolivian daily), 2 July (all accessed 28 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