Evo Morales’ missing phone triggers massive search and a wave of speculation in Bolivia

The disappearance of former Bolivian President Evo Morales’ cellphone over the weekend has sparked much speculation in the Andean country about its contents after police launched a large-scale operation to try to find it, according to local media reports.

Morales, whose political party currently rules Bolivia, said over the weekend that the phone was stolen while he participated in a campaign event held in Santa Cruz, although he did not give details on how it was taken. He reported on Monday that two other cellphones belonging to one of his assistants were also missing.

Rumors about the possible content of Morales’ cellphone began circulating, given the massive police effort in trying to find it, including allegations that it might contain information linking his political party to drug trafficking operations.

Those rumors were denied on Sunday by a congressman of Morales’ party, the Movement for Socialism, MAS, who attributed the claim to a disinformation campaign promoted by the opposition.

“Of course the cell phone has important information, in terms of the political coordination efforts that our brother Evo Morales has been carrying out, but in no way can we say that it has information on drug trafficking,” MAS Congressman Juanito Angulo told the local press.

Angulo added that there is suspicion that Morales’ phone was stolen by “infiltrated” agents working for the opposition or by elements working for the U.S. Embassy.

Soon after learning that the phone was missing, Bolivia’s security forces launched a large-scale search headed by the national commander of police, Gen. Orlando Ponce, who called on intelligence agents and members of the nation’s Special Group of Investigations.

Police later told local reporters that the large-scale search was necessary because the phone had not only Morales’ personal information and contacts but could also contain sensitive security information.

Even off-duty agents were called into the search operation, the local newspaper El Deber reported.

“There were complaints from several security agents, saying that despite being outside of their working hours, they were forced to participate in the search for the former president’s electronic device,” the newspaper reported, citing agents speaking under condition of anonymity.