Key facts
- Argentine consultant Fernando Cerimedo, linked to Javier Milei's campaign and President Rodrigo Paz, detained in Bolivia.
- Cerimedo is a suspect in the shooting of political commentator Nadia Beller.
- Beller, a critic of former President Evo Morales, was shot three times.
- Attackers were disguised as food delivery drivers and fled on a motorcycle.
- Bolivian lawmakers voted to censure Economy Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza, forcing his removal.
- Espinoza's removal is a setback for President Paz's economic reform agenda and IMF financing program.
Bolivian police detained Argentine consultant Fernando Cerimedo, who advises President Rodrigo Paz and served as a key digital strategist in Argentine President Javier Milei's election campaign, as a suspect in the shooting of political commentator Nadia Beller. Cerimedo was arrested at Santa Cruz airport early Tuesday as he was preparing to fly to Buenos Aires. Authorities are investigating whether he was involved in the shooting of Beller, who was shot three times the previous night at a hotel. Santa Cruz police commander David Gomez stated that authorities are exploring several hypotheses, including a potential romantic dispute between Beller and Cerimedo. Beller, a political analyst and columnist, has been a vocal critic of former President Evo Morales. Local media has described her as Cerimedo's former partner. In July, Cerimedo publicly stated on X that he was facing wrongful accusations of domestic violence online, without specifying the individuals involved. The attackers reportedly arrived at the hotel disguised as food delivery drivers and fled the scene on a motorcycle. Cerimedo had previously become a political point of contention in Bolivia, with the vice presidency accusing him in May of interfering in the country's internal affairs over a social media post, an allegation he denied.
Separately, Bolivian lawmakers voted to censure Economy Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza, forcing his removal from office. The vote occurred after Espinoza failed to appear before Congress to answer questions regarding his management of the economy. This censure represents a setback for President Paz's administration, which is seeking congressional approval for economic reforms and a crucial financing program negotiated with the International Monetary Fund.