Lawfare Turned Sour: Bolivia’s Courts Frees Jeanine Áñez as Political Winds Turn
Bolivia’s highest court annulled ordinary trials against former interim president Jeanine Áñez and ordered her release from pretrial detention. This ruling coincided with two conservative presidential candidates rising as the ruling MAS party falters.
The timing highlights how shifts in political power influence judicial decisions in Bolivia. Áñez assumed the interim presidency after Evo Morales resigned amid contested 2019 elections.
Her administration deployed security forces in Sacaba and Senkata, where excessive force caused at least twenty-two civilian deaths. Critics labeled these actions massacres, while supporters called them necessary to restore order.
In June 2022, a La Paz court convicted Áñez of unconstitutional actions and sentenced her to ten years in prison. Observers decried the verdict as “lawfare,” arguing ordinary courts lacked jurisdiction over a former head of state.
Bolivia’s constitution reserves trials of ex-presidents for a legislative assembly tribunal. On August 29, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled only the Legislative Assembly may try Áñez.
It required a two-thirds congressional vote before sending her cases back to the Supreme Court. This safeguard could indefinitely delay any retrial and secure her freedom once preventive detentions end.
The Sacaba tribunal also declared itself incompetent to proceed and issued a release order. Though Áñez remains convicted in the “coup d’état II” case, authorities must review all pretrial detentions.
Other opposition leaders saw similar rulings as courts reacted to changing political fortunes. Áñez’s journey shows how constitutional checks and political tides shape Bolivia’s rule of law.
Her pending release underscores the judiciary’s entanglement with electoral shifts. Travelers, businesses, and investors must navigate this unpredictable legal landscape carefully.
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This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief