The Judicial Decision
On Friday, August 21, 2026, Judge Wilson Espada ordered 180 days of pre-trial detention for Fernando Cerimedo at the Palmasola prison, following a hearing on precautionary measures held at the Palace of Justice in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The prosecution had initially requested his confinement in the maximum-security Chonchocoro prison, but the judge instead ordered his transfer to Palmasola.
Cerimedo is charged with attempted feminicide in connection with the investigation into the armed attack against lawyer and former congressional candidate Nadia Beller, who remains hospitalized and participated in the hearing virtually.
The Chats That Complicate the Former Advisor
During the hearing, the victim's lawyer, Jerjes Justiniano, revealed that messages linking Cerimedo to the attack were found on his phone. In one message attributed to Cerimedo, he allegedly wrote: “Nadia has gone too far (...) I think we need to find a way to eliminate her.” According to Justiniano, this communication constitutes evidence of possible intellectual participation in the attack.
Other messages broadcast by the DTV channel, originating from the Institute of Forensic Investigations (IDIF), include conversations between Cerimedo and an individual identified by the initials E.C.H., who allegedly acted as an intermediary with the hitmen. In one text, sent at 8:54 PM on Monday, August 17, the message reads: “Brother, they just shot her right now.”
The Defense Challenges the Evidence
Cerimedo's lawyer, Margarita Arce, rejected the validity of the chats and questioned the legality of the procedure: “We consider that these are not expert reports; they are illegally obtained evidence.” Arce argued that the defense never authorized the opening of the phone and that there is no certainty that the extraction corresponds to her client's device.
The judge rejected two motions filed by the defense: one regarding alleged defective procedural activity and another seeking to nullify the police forensic extraction of information from the cell phone. Justiniano explained that the court's ruling allows the information obtained from the device to be considered valid evidence.
The Attack and the Arrest
The attack against Nadia Beller occurred on August 17, 2026, when two hitmen disguised as delivery drivers shot her multiple times. Beller, 33 years old and pregnant, was hit by four bullets in the chest, right arm, neck, and left shoulder, and underwent surgery involving a plate and screws. She remains hospitalized, and her lawyer stated that no discharge date has been set yet.
Cerimedo was arrested on August 18 at Viru Viru International Airport while attempting to leave the country. During his transfer to the Palace of Justice, the political consultant broke down in tears and asked to see his children: “I want to see my children,” he exclaimed to the media.
Context and Background
Cerimedo, 45, is the founder of La Derecha Diario and the agency Numen. He served as a campaign advisor to Javier Milei in Argentina and collaborated with Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz. The fact-checking organization Chequeado documented that between 2022 and 2023, La Derecha Diario spread misinformation about the attack on Cristina Kirchner, electoral fraud in Brazil, climate change, and comprehensive sex education (ESI).
Bolivian police have already arrested two suspects in connection with the attack on Beller. The investigation continues to determine the authorship and the degree of involvement of each person implicated.