May 11 (UPI) -- A criminal court in the Bolivian city of Tarija declared former President Evo Morales in contempt after he failed to appear for trial on charges related to the alleged trafficking of a minor.
The hearing, scheduled for Monday, was expected to begin the final stage of a case investigating Morales' alleged relationship with a 15-year-old girl in 2015, from which a child was allegedly born.
The contempt ruling triggered measures intended to ensure the appearance of the former leader of the ruling Movement for Socialism, or MAS.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant authorizing security forces to detain Morales anywhere in the country and prevent him from leaving Bolivia. The court also ordered freezing his bank accounts and precautionary registration of his assets.
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