ALBAWABA - Fernando Cerimedo, Argentinian national and close advisor to Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, was arrested for trying to assassinate his ex-wife over political concerns.
Cerimedo built his career as a political consultant working with several Latin American right-wingers, from Argentina's Javier Milei to former Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro to Bolivia's Paz.
Speaking from her hospital bed, Cerimedo’s ex-wife, lawyer Nadia Beller, said "Clearly, he (Cerimedo) wanted to get rid of me." in an interview with local TV.
Two hired assassins disguised as food delivery drivers approached Beller outside a hotel in Santa Cruz and opened fire in an attempt to kill her, before fleeing. Cerimedo was arrested at the airport in the eastern city of Santa Cruz mere hours later.
The motive was political according to Beller, she said that her relationship with Cerimedo made her a “witness” to the under-the-table dealings of Paz’s government, claiming to see cases of corruption. She added that she was four weeks pregnant at the time of the assisantion.
Paz, in apparent damage control, expressed solidarity with the would-be victim and said:
“[She] must be afforded full security and all necessary guarantees, just as the investigation process itself must be carried out with absolute transparency and independence."
"I have instructed the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough, transparent, and exhaustive investigation,” in a post on X.
While a presidential spokesperson said that the authorities will investigate but will not “tolerate unfounded accusations.”
