Former Bolivian Interim President Jeanine Áñez Released From Prison
La Paz, Bolivia – Former Bolivian interim president Jeanine Áñez was released from prison today after nearly five years, following a Supreme Court ruling that overturned her conviction for allegedly staging a coup.
Áñez, 58, left the Miraflores women’s orientation centre in La Paz on Thursday, stating, “the monster had to go” for her to walk free – a reference to the end of nearly two decades of rule by the leftwing Movimiento al Socialismo (Mas) party. The ruling declared there was no coup, but rather “a constitutional necessity aimed at preserving the institutional continuity of the Bolivian state.” This decision comes just days before the inauguration of newly elected President Luis Paz Pereira, potentially reshaping the political landscape of Bolivia.
Áñez assumed the interim presidency on November 12, 2019, after the resignation of Evo Morales and all others in the line of succession following widespread protests over disputed election results. Morales had sought a fourth term despite constitutional limitations, and a contested vote count led to his eventual departure. She initially postponed presidential elections, citing the Covid-19 pandemic, and her government faced accusations of brutal repression of protesters, with reports alleging “systematic torture” and extrajudicial killings. Human Rights Watch documented these concerns in a 2021 report.
Áñez was sentenced to 10 years in prison in June 2022 for allegedly placing herself illegally in the constitutional line of succession. As she left prison, Áñez added, “The monster had to go for it to be recognised that there was never a coup d’état in this country – what there was, was an electoral fraud that drove all Bolivians to rise up.” Her release follows a period of political tension and could influence ongoing investigations into the events of 2019, as detailed by Al Jazeera.
Authorities have indicated they will respect the Supreme Court’s decision, and Áñez’s future involvement in Bolivian politics remains uncertain.
