A court in Bolivia has ordered the preventive detention of Johnny Fernández, the mayor of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, as part of an ongoing corruption investigation involving alleged irregularities in public infrastructure projects.
Prosecutors allege that the mayor oversaw a scheme involving payments for road‑paving projects that were reportedly never carried out in multiple outlying neighborhoods of the nation’s primary economic center, and the inquiry targets avenue‑upgrade contracts that officials suspect were either abandoned or failed to reflect the work financed.
The judicial decision followed a hearing in which prosecutors argued that preventive detention was necessary while the investigation continues. Authorities are examining the management of public resources allocated to infrastructure projects and seeking to establish whether criminal offenses were committed during the execution of the contracts.
Fernández has rejected the allegations against him, while his legal team maintains that the accusations lack sufficient grounds. The case has drawn significant public attention in Bolivia, where concerns over transparency in public administration have remained a recurring issue.
The investigation will likely move forward over the next few months as prosecutors compile further evidence and the courts assess the legal accountability of everyone involved.
Source: El País along with https://elpais.com/america/2026-02-28/enviado-a-prision-por-corrupcion-el-acalde-de-la-capital-economica-de-bolivia.html
