Former Bolivian president Evo Morales narrowly escaped an alleged assassination attempt after unknown hooded assailants fired 14 shots at his vehicle on October 27 morning in Chapare. Morales, on his way to a radio programme in Cochabamba, claimed the attack was politically motivated, implicating current President Luis Arce in an effort to silence him. 

Although Morales was unhurt, his driver sustained minor head injuries in the attack. Video footage released by Morales’s media outlet, Kawsachun Coca, shows bullet holes in the vehicle’s windshield and records Morales urging his team to move quickly amid the gunfire.

This incident occurs against a backdrop of escalating unrest. Since early October, Morales’s supporters have mobilised across Bolivia, staging roadblocks that have crippled transport routes, especially in Cochabamba. 

These demonstrations demand an end to what they call a “judicial persecution” of Morales, who faces an arrest warrant related to an investigation involving alleged sexual abuse of a minor and human trafficking. His supporters have staged protests at multiple military posts, accusing the army of harbouring the attackers responsible for Sunday’s ambush.

The Bolivian government led by former ally-turned-foe Luis Arce, meanwhile, has denounced Morales’s actions to the international community, accusing him of inciting destabilising efforts to disrupt the country’s democracy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement warning of "actions led by Evo Morales aimed at interrupting democratic order.”

As Bolivia’s social and political landscape continues to fracture, the situation threatens to deepen divisions in a country already grappling with economic instability and social discord. Morales, for his part, claims the assault was an orchestrated attempt on his life, stating, “This wasn’t just about Evo Morales – this is about destroying our movement.” The attack has only intensified tensions, with no immediate resolution in sight.