An Explosive Turn in Bolivia
On Monday, August 17, 2026, lawyer and political analyst Nadia Beller, 33, was attacked with gunfire by two hitmen at the entrance of a hotel in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. What initially seemed like a robbery quickly became a regional political scandal when, hours later, police arrested Fernando Cerimedo, former advisor to Argentine President Javier Milei and strategist for the Bolivian government, at Viru Viru International Airport as he attempted to travel to Argentina.
Beller sustained three gunshot wounds and underwent emergency surgery at Clínica Las Américas. Although her condition is stable and out of danger, she gave an exclusive testimony to LA NACION from the clinic that added a layer of complexity to the case: she directly accused Cerimedo of being the intellectual author of the attack and revealed details of alleged conversations about corruption within Javier Milei's government.
“Fernando told me that Milei's sister was involved with corruption”
Beller's Allegations: Audios, Andis, and the Presidential Circle
According to Beller's account, during her romantic relationship with Cerimedo (which began last December), he spoke to her about illicit business within the Argentine government. The lawyer stated that Cerimedo confessed that his departure from President Milei was due to “an environment that was too rotten” and that the definitive break occurred when Cerimedo and his then-wife, Natalia Basil, who worked at the National Agency for Disability (Andis), leaked the audios in which Diego Spagnuolo discussed bribes within that agency.
“Fernando told me the audios were real and that they had leaked them so the case wouldn't go unpunished,” Beller said, adding she didn't know how they obtained the recordings. “I only know, from his own mouth, that Javier Milei's sister was involved,” she added, referring to Karina Milei.
Beller also stated that Cerimedo told her his closest relationship in the Argentine government was with Patricia Bullrich, with whom he coordinated “security matters,” and that one of his jobs for Milei's administration was a campaign to “neutralize the vice president,” Victoria Villarruel.
Additionally, the lawyer mentioned Vicente Quintales, a partner of Cerimedo and Basil, as the person who remained connected to the Argentine government and “got them hired by other governments.” Regarding Cerimedo, Beller said he referred to himself as “CIA,” though she never fully understood what he meant.
Alleged Money Laundering and a Backpack Full of Cash
In her interview, Beller claimed that Cerimedo “received money from the corruption of Paz's government and laundered it in Argentina” through various companies, including prefabricated house construction firms. “He said he billed 800,000 dollars monthly,” she stated, describing that there was “a lot of money” stored in drawers and suitcases in the apartment they shared.
The Bolivian police, who arrested Cerimedo at the airport, indicated he was carrying a backpack with cash. Beller said she spoke with him by phone from the clinic after the attack: “I asked him, 'Was it you?' and he told me how could I think that, that he loved me. But the police told us he was actually trying to travel to Argentina with a backpack full of money.”
The Ambush and the Call That Gave Him Away
Beller recounted that on the night of the attack, she was summoned by supposed informants who were going to give her information about an alleged attack by Evo Morales on a minor. She was suspicious at first, but Cerimedo convinced her to attend the hotel, telling her that “nobody would dare do anything to her in a hotel with cameras.”
“I was talking to him when they took my phone away. That's when they shot me,” Beller recalled, adding that she is four months pregnant and that the father is Cerimedo. “He told me he was going to settle down with me in Bolivia. Now I'm fully certain it was all a lie, that there was never love. He tried to kill me,” she said.
Bolivian Government Reaction
The Bolivian government, through its Minister of Government, Marco Antonio Oviedo, called this Tuesday for a “serious and deep” investigation into the case. “In Bolivia, nobody is above the law,” Oviedo declared, confirming that Cerimedo is at the disposal of the Public Ministry. The Bolivian Prosecutor's Office has already opened an investigation for “attempted femicide.”
The departmental police commander, David Gómez, explained that investigators were aware of a recent “romantic” conflict between Cerimedo and Beller, which led them to deploy personnel at the airport. Cerimedo remains detained at the Special Force Against Crime (Felcc) awaiting his statement.
Context: Who Is Fernando Cerimedo
Fernando Cerimedo is an Argentine political strategist who worked on Javier Milei's 2023 presidential campaign. After his time in government, he became a personal advisor to Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz on communication and political strategy. His arrest marks an unprecedented event in bilateral relations and raises questions about connections between the Argentine and Bolivian governments.
The Andis case, linked to the audios leaked by Cerimedo and Basil, is a file investigating alleged bribes in the Argentine state agency. Beller said that, according to Cerimedo, the leak was an act to “ensure the case didn't go unpunished,” but it caused his break with Milei's government.
Meanwhile, Nadia Beller remains hospitalized, out of danger, and under protection. The investigation is ongoing, and her formal testimony before the Prosecutor's Office is expected to be key to reconstructing the attack and determining responsibilities. The case promises to keep making headlines, both in Bolivia and Argentina.