Former Milei Advisor Fernando Cerimedo Detained in Bolivia for Attempted Femicide

Fernando Cerimedo, a former advisor to Argentine President Javier Milei and recent advisor to Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, was detained at Viru Viru airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. He is under investigation as the alleged intellectual author of an attempted femicide against Nadia Beller, a Bolivian lawyer and activist identified as his former partner. Beller was shot three times in a hotel on Monday, August 18, and was reportedly five weeks pregnant at the time of the attack. The prosecutor's office in Santa Cruz de la Sierra has requested 180 days of preventive detention for Cerimedo, while authorities continue to search for two material authors captured on security cameras.

Beller has made further allegations against Cerimedo, claiming he was involved in illicit business dealings involving gold and fuel in Bolivia, and that he had connections to narcotics operators. Cerimedo's defense attorney, Margarita Arce, has denied these claims and asserted that the shooting was a self inflicted attack orchestrated by Beller to frame Cerimedo.

President Javier Milei has used his X account to repost messages that question the validity of Beller's injuries and the official version of the attack. In contrast, Vice President Victoria Villarruel reposted a 2024 post in which Cerimedo had criticized her, suggesting internal friction within the governing party.

Separately, journalist Rodrigo Lussich has publicly accused Cerimedo of defrauding his family in 2012. Lussich claims Cerimedo sold his family a department in Mar del Plata for 35,000 dollars that was already deeded to others, leading to their eviction. Lussich stated that Cerimedo was convicted of fraud with a suspended sentence but never returned the money by declaring insolvency.