Former Milei Advisor Fernando Cerimedo Detained in Bolivia for Attempted Murder

Fernando Cerimedo, a political consultant and former advisor to Argentine President Javier Milei, was arrested in Bolivia on suspicion of masterminding a shooting attack against his former partner, Nadia Beller. The incident occurred Monday night outside a hotel in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where two men dressed as delivery riders opened fire on Beller. She survived the attack after simulating death to discourage further shots. Cerimedo was apprehended at Viru Viru International Airport while reportedly attempting to fly to Argentina. He has refused to testify, a move his lawyer describes as a legal strategy. Bolivian prosecutors are pursuing charges of attempted femicide, and a judge is expected to decide on his preventive detention. Additionally, authorities have opened a separate investigation into Cerimedo for alleged illicit enrichment after finding large sums of cash and hidden compartments in his residence.

Cerimedo's professional ties are a point of contention among sources. He is described as a collaborator or external advisor to current Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz. President Paz expressed solidarity with Beller and pledged a transparent investigation with zero interference. Conversely, former Bolivian President Evo Morales claimed Cerimedo is a powerful figure within the current administration who knows of government atrocities and predicted he would be released soon. In Argentina, the government has distanced itself from Cerimedo, stating he has had no relationship with President Milei since 2023. However, access records indicate Cerimedo entered the Casa Rosada thirteen times between December 2023 and June 2024, with authorizations from various officials including Santiago Caputo.

Beller has made several public allegations against Cerimedo. She claims he sought to silence her to prevent her from revealing information about corruption and that he filtered audio recordings related to a bribery investigation in Argentina. She also shared images of bruises and chat logs suggesting a history of physical violence. Cerimedo's defense attorney, Ernesto Giraldes, denies the murder plot and asserts that Cerimedo traveled to Santa Cruz specifically to visit Beller in the hospital.