>
Bolivia’s Supreme Court orders Áñez’s release
“My dignity is non-negotiable,” Áñez insisted.
The Bolivian Supreme Court on Wednesday annulled the sentence against Jeanine Áñez and ordered the former president’s immediate release. “The sentence against Jeanine Áñez has been annulled… and, consequently, she will be released today”, confirmed the president of the Supreme Court, Rómer Saucedo.
“After analyzing the resolution issued, we found violations of the current legal system and your rights,” he added. “That means today you must regain your freedom.”
Áñez, who was detained in the Miraflores prison, in La Paz, was convicted of negligence in the exercise of her duties and for resolutions contrary to the laws and the Political Constitution of the State in the case called “Coup II”, resulting from her provisional assumption of the presidency in November 2019, during the political and social crisis that followed the resignation of Evo Morales. The sentence was partially based on Supreme Decree 4,078, issued by Áñez to exempt the military and police from responsibility during operations to repress demonstrations, in which 36 people died.
Saucedo emphasized that the decision reflects the institution’s commitment to judicial renewal and independence. “The message is clear: transformation in justice”, he stressed. “We are committed to righting the wrongs of the past and ensuring that injustices committed in the name of the law are never repeated.” The decision was part of a series of measures adopted by the TSJ since August to review the pre-trial detention periods for people arrested in relation to the events of 2019.
“The Public Prosecutor’s Office must decide the procedure to follow. They have the right to a trial to determine their responsibility. Let us remember that their sentence was handed down in an ordinary trial. When reviewing the resolution issued, we found violations of the current legal system and their rights,” said Saucedo.
The decision, which came after an extraordinary review by the Plenary of the Supreme Federal Court, comes after almost five years of imprisonment. “It is not a victory, it is a reparation; it is not a gift, it is a right that, although late, I receive with joy and with the faith that justice now gives us hope”, declared Áñez on social media.
Áñez, who still faces seven other lawsuits, also mentioned: “I will never regret serving my country when it needed me. I did it with a clear conscience and a firm heart, knowing that difficult decisions have a price. I learned that the deepest freedom does not depend on walls, but on keeping alive the truth of what I did and why I did it.”
“I learned that true freedom does not depend on walls, but on keeping alive the truth of what I did and why I did it. I continue to believe that serving my country was the right thing to do, although I am paying an unfair price, because history changes, versions change, but the certainty of having done the right thing is indelible”, he added. “It was not fair to lose my freedom for having served my country, nor to continue to be stigmatized for acts of corruption that I never committed. I suffered terrible accusations, a burden so heavy that it does not belong to me, but they did not hesitate to repeat them shamelessly, without hesitation”, she said.
“Injustice is not only found in prison, but also in the eyes of those who refuse to see beyond prejudice. Even so, I remain firm, with a clear conscience and my dignity intact. I feel like they saw me alone, without political support, and took advantage of this vulnerability to tarnish my name. When there is no power to defend you, it is easy to point the finger, distort the facts and make you the target of all criticism. I don’t defend myself with power, I defend myself with the truth, and that’s why that the price has been so high”, he added.
“They disappointed me, they hurt me, but they couldn’t break me. Despite everything, I keep my head held high”, he concluded.
About The Author
