A Brazen Attack in Bolivia
On the night of Monday, August 17, 2026, lawyer and political activist Nadia Beller was ambushed outside a hotel in the business district of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Security cameras captured two men dressed as food delivery workers approaching her and firing three shots at close range. One of the attackers then snatched her cell phone before both fled on a motorcycle they had stolen from a delivery driver after their own vehicle broke down.
Beller was rushed to Clínica Las Américas, where she underwent emergency surgery. According to local outlet Bolpress, she remains in stable but guarded condition.
Arrest at the Airport
The investigation quickly led to the detention of Fernando Cerimedo, Beller's ex-partner and a well-known Argentine political consultant. Cerimedo was apprehended in the early hours of Tuesday, August 18, at Viru Viru International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Argentina. Officers from the Special Force Against Crime (Felcc) took him into custody for questioning.
Authorities are now trying to determine whether Cerimedo had any involvement in the shooting—specifically, whether he planned or ordered the attack. The two gunmen seen in the video remain at large.
Who Is Fernando Cerimedo?
Cerimedo is a political consultant based in Buenos Aires, founder of a consulting firm, a digital marketing school, and a political activism portal. He has advised leaders across Latin America, including Javier Milei of Argentina and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil. He also faces legal challenges and formal accusations in several countries.
During Argentina's 2023 presidential campaign, Cerimedo worked as an adviser to Milei, though Argentine government sources later confirmed he no longer held that role. Currently, he serves as an informal adviser to Rodrigo Paz, the president of Bolivia, though he does not hold an official government position.
His path to Bolivia was gradual: he first advised a liberal pre-candidate who failed to register, then connected with Paz's campaign through Paz's daughter, who had been a student at Cerimedo's academy. 'He is my daughter's teacher,' Paz once explained. Since Paz took office, Cerimedo has been part of his inner circle, directing communication and political strategy without a formal title.
Who Is Nadia Beller?
Beller is a lawyer and political activist. In 2019, she ran for Congress as a candidate for the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), the party of former President Evo Morales, but later distanced herself and became a critic of Morales. She also had contacts with civic leader Luis Fernando Camacho during the protests that preceded Morales's resignation.
In recent months, she was part of the team advising Rodrigo Paz, according to local sources. The attack came just weeks after Cerimedo publicly denied rumors linking him to a previous act of violence against Beller. In late July, he said on social media that those accusations were false and that no complaints, arrest warrants, or investigations existed against him regarding that alleged incident.
Ongoing Investigation
Bolivian authorities are working to establish whether Cerimedo had any responsibility in the attack. The two hitmen remain fugitives. Police are analyzing security footage and the victim's communications to determine a motive.
The case has shocked both Bolivia and Argentina, given Cerimedo's ties to Milei's circle. The Argentine government has already clarified that Cerimedo is not part of its administration.