Trent Barr

Latin America Desk Chief

With years of specialized training, Trent brings deep expertise to his role as the Latin America Desk Chief for Atlas News, where he provides critical insights and analysis on regional developments.

Good morning, and welcome to The Situation Room. Today we’re getting into:

An alleged assassination attempt targeting former Bolivian president Evo Morales has shaken the nation, five more men died in South Africa's third mass shooting this week, and a retired Colombian officer turned alleged Clan del Golfo member is released from ELN custody after months of captivity.

Lets get into it!

Alleged Assassination Attempt Against Former Bolivian President Rocks Nation

By: Trent Barr, Latin America Desk Chief

An alleged assassination attempt against former Bolivian president Evo Morales shook the nation on Sunday amid increasing tensions within Bolivia’s Movement for Socialism (MAS) political party and a failed coup against current president Luis Arce.

The Failed Assassination

The news of the alleged assassination began circulating social media platforms alongside a video showing the former president in a vehicle alongside at least two others targeted by gunfire. In the video, gunshots can be heard and bullet holes are present in both the windshield and rear window of the vehicle as Morales and his driver attempt to flee the assailants.

Morales has claimed the attack was the fault of President Arce, who, according to the former president, sent “elite agents of the Bolivian State” to murder him. In a statement published on X, Morales called upon the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to activate Article 41 of the American Convention on Human Rights, which allows the IACHR to conduct investigations into human rights abuses and issue special or precautionary measures in order to secure the security of affected groups or individuals.

Arce published a response on X, condemning the attack and requesting an investigation be launched into the alleged attempt on Morales’ life.

“The exercise of any violent practice in politics must be condemned and clarified. Problems are not resolved by trying to kill people or by partisan speculation,” Arce said on X. “Therefore, in response to former President Evo Morales' complaint of an alleged attempt on his life, I have ordered an immediate and thorough investigation to clarify this incident.”

Bolivia’s Deputy Security Minister, Roberto Rios, denounced claims by Morales that authorities were responsible for the attack, announcing in his own statement that authorities had begun an investigation into a possible “self attack” launched by Morales, a theory that suggests the attack was in order to inflame tensions between factions within MAS and support his own aspirations to be reelected as president.

“Morales is seeking confrontation and violence on the streets for political interests and to achieve impunity,” Rios told reporters.

Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo later claimed in a press conference on Monday that Morales’ convoy had fired upon an anti-narcotics patrol before running over one officer following a traffic stop on Morales’ convoy, which was suspected of transporting narcotics. The minister noted further that Morales had ordered his vehicles to be burned following the altercation with security forces.

Morales swiftly denied the accusation of transporting narcotics, questioning the reasoning for the “elite military and police team shooting more than 18 times at the vehicles I was traveling in” in a post on X.

The alleged attempt on Morales’ life comes during a time of upheaval within MAS following Morales’ announced plan to run for reelection in Bolivia’s 2025 presidential election, pitting himself against Arce, who seeks to run for reelection in the same election. This intention to run for reelection by Morales also led to the failed coup led by former Commanding General of the Bolivian Army Juan Jose Zuniga.

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