Bolivian court authorizes ex-president Áñez’s transfer to hospital for health reasons

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A Bolivian court authorized on Friday, March 19th, the hospitalization of Jeanine Áñez, the country’s ex-interim president in preventive custody since last Saturday, after granting a petition in this respect due to health reasons.

The ex-president had made the request through her daughter, Carolina Ribera, alleging “inbalance” due to hypertension.

Áñez entered Obrajes prison in La Paz on Monday, where she will remain in preventive detention for 4 months while investigations in the “coup case” are conducted, in which she has been accused of “sedition and terrorism” during her interim mandate following the failed elections that led to Evo Morales’ resignation from the Presidency.

On the other hand, the Bolivian penitentiary system on Thursday issued a brief statement in which it “categorically” denied reports that Áñez is on a hunger strike -something that she had assured hours earlier- and pointed out that, according to the latest medical report, the ex-interim president’s health “is stable.”

However, the president of the Permanent Human Rights Assembly of Bolivia (APDHB), Amparo Carvajal, had also stated that Añez was on a hunger strike and that she found her “depressed,” after visiting her with a Ombudsman’s Office delegation.

Thousands of people marched this week in favor and against these arrests, which the Bolivian opposition considers “unfair” and a “political persecution,” while the government claims that “justice” is being done.

The judicial measures have sparked criticism from international organizations such as the OAS and the UN. The latter’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Thursday stressed to President Luis Arce the importance of respecting human rights and ensuring fair trials.

“In the conversation, the Secretary-General stressed the need to respect human rights and due process, which are fundamental for the consolidation of democracy,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the international body, in his daily press conference.

Guterres had already expressed himself along similar lines last weekend, when he issued a statement stressing the importance of guaranteeing proper legal procedures and “transparency” for detainees.

Meanwhile, the OAS on Wednesday issued a lengthy statement after Bolivia rejected the organization’s request for the release of ex-interim president Jeanine Áñez and announced that it will take steps against Secretary-General Luis Almagro “for his reprehensible deeds.”

“Impunity is never an option for a people,” the OAS remarked in its letter, while again “calling for fair, credible and impartial trials.”

Individually, the United States and Brazil have also commented along the same lines. However, Bolivia urged them “not to interfere” in its internal affairs. Charisse Phillips, Washington’s Chargé d’Affaires to La Paz, was “reminded of her duty to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs” of Bolivia, and the Brazilian ambassador, Octavio Henrique Días, was “not to meddle” in the judicial proceedings underway, according to the two texts.

Source: infobae

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