A Shooting That Shook Bolivia
On the night of Monday, August 17, 2026, lawyer and political activist Nadia Beller was ambushed by two hitmen disguised as delivery riders at the entrance of a hotel in the Canal Isuto area of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Security cameras captured the exact moment: one of the attackers approached at close range and fired three shots, while the other snatched her cell phone. Beller collapsed to the ground and, as she later recounted, "pretended to be dead to save her life".
"I threw myself on the ground and pretended they killed me. I stayed still, and one of the hitmen hesitated about whether to come closer and finish me off."
The attackers fled on a motorcycle stolen from a food delivery worker who was at the scene. According to preliminary reports, their original vehicle had broken down, so they used the bike to make their getaway.
Cerimedo's Arrest at the Airport
Hours after the attack, the Special Force Against Crime (Felcc) detained Fernando Cerimedo at Viru Viru International Airport as he was about to board a flight to Argentina. The political consultant, who worked on Javier Milei's presidential campaign in 2023 and currently advises Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, was taken to a police station for questioning.
David Gómez, from the Santa Cruz Police, explained: "He is under arrest; we are investigating whether he had any involvement. We are working on several hypotheses. The first is that Beller had some sort of personal or romantic conflict with Cerimedo."
Who Is Nadia Beller?
Beller, 33 years old, is a lawyer and political analyst. In 2019, she ran as a candidate for Congress under the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS)—the party of former President Evo Morales—but later distanced herself from the group and became one of its most vocal critics. She also maintained contacts with civic leader Luis Fernando Camacho during the protests that preceded Morales's resignation from office.
The Video Evidence and the Love Triangle Lead
The attack was recorded by security cameras, and the footage was broadcast by local media. The images show two men in delivery uniforms and the exact moment of the point-blank shots. After the assault, Beller was rushed to the Las Américas Clinic, where she underwent surgery and remains in stable but serious condition.
From the hospital, Beller warned: "They tried to silence me. If I do not speak to the Bolivian people, they will try to finish what they started." She requested the presence of the press to make a public statement.
Background: Cerimedo Had Denied Violence Accusations
The attack came just weeks after Cerimedo publicly denied rumors linking him to an alleged act of violence against Beller. In late July, the consultant posted on social media that those accusations were false and that there were no complaints or investigations against him.
Sources from the Argentine government clarified that Cerimedo stopped being Milei's adviser after the 2023 campaign. He currently works as an advisor to Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, though he does not formally hold a position in the executive branch.