Bolivia arrests former judge on suspicion of drug trafficking

Bolivian authorities have arrested former senior judge Aldo Quezada on suspicion of drug trafficking and criminal association. The arrest is part of a wider investigation into alleged links between judicial officials and drug cartels, and comes amid a US-backed regional crackdown.

Prosecutor Marcelo Inchausti said Quezada was arrested at his home in Santa Cruz on Wednesday. He resigned as head of the Santa Cruz departmental court last month after being placed on a US visa restrictions list over alleged drug-trafficking links; several other Bolivian judicial officials, including former Attorney General Roger Mariaca, have also been arrested since September. The US imposed visa restrictions on 12 Bolivian nationals and their families, while President Rodrigo Paz, who took office in November 2025, has sought closer US ties and joined the Shield of the Americas security alliance.