Bolivia's High Court has ruled to release former Interim President Jeanine Anez from prison, citing violations of due process during her trial. Anez had been serving a 10-year sentence for allegedly plotting against her left-wing predecessor, Evo Morales, after he was ousted in 2019.
The decision was made by Supreme Court Justice Romer Saucedo, who stated that the original conviction was annulled due to procedural irregularities. As a result, Anez's release has been ordered. She had been imprisoned for over four years.
Anez declared herself Bolivia's interim leader in 2019 after Morales fled following mass demonstrations over alleged election fraud during his bid for a fourth term. Her administration was criticized for cracking down on the protests, resulting in at least 35 deaths and 833 injuries according to Amnesty International.
Anez was arrested in 2021 after Morales' party returned to power, and she was later convicted of illegally assuming the presidency in 2022. Saucedo argued that Anez should have been tried by a special court handling crimes committed by lawmakers, rather than the general criminal justice system.
The decision has sparked little comment from Anez, who recently defended her record on social media. She stated that she would "never regret having served my country when it needed me." The ruling comes just weeks after Bolivia's new president was elected, marking a significant change in the country's governance.
The decision was made by Supreme Court Justice Romer Saucedo, who stated that the original conviction was annulled due to procedural irregularities. As a result, Anez's release has been ordered. She had been imprisoned for over four years.
Anez declared herself Bolivia's interim leader in 2019 after Morales fled following mass demonstrations over alleged election fraud during his bid for a fourth term. Her administration was criticized for cracking down on the protests, resulting in at least 35 deaths and 833 injuries according to Amnesty International.
Anez was arrested in 2021 after Morales' party returned to power, and she was later convicted of illegally assuming the presidency in 2022. Saucedo argued that Anez should have been tried by a special court handling crimes committed by lawmakers, rather than the general criminal justice system.
The decision has sparked little comment from Anez, who recently defended her record on social media. She stated that she would "never regret having served my country when it needed me." The ruling comes just weeks after Bolivia's new president was elected, marking a significant change in the country's governance.
... I know Anez has her supporters and all but 10 years is pretty harsh punishment for allegedly plotting against Evo Morales. Like, wasn't she part of the protests that led to his ousting? It feels like a big double standard to me 
... I'm all about due process and fair trial, but this ruling kinda stinks of politics as usual 
... Anez's defense team might be right about procedural irregularities, but shouldn't they've caught those issues sooner? I dunno, maybe she'll serve out the rest of her sentence and we can move on from this 
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I mean, even if she did make some questionable decisions while in power, isn't due process all about protecting people's rights and ensuring they get a fair shake?
. Whatever happens next, it'll be good to see some real accountability for what went down during those tumultuous times 
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I'm literally shaking with excitement! Jeanine Anez is finally getting released from prison!!! 
I know some ppl might think she did some shady stuff while she was president, but like... due process? 
I mean, 4 years is a loooong time to be locked up. I'm not saying she's innocent or anything, but it's only fair that the system works correctly, you know? 
And can we talk about how this decision comes at such an interesting time with the new president and all? 
It's like, the country is finally getting a fresh start and Anez gets to walk free... it's wild! 
I'm low-key rooting for her now (lol).
Her time in power was marked by so much violence, it's hard to see this as a fair outcome 
and procedural irregularities were found! justice is served i guess 
its crazy that she's out just weeks into the new president's term, hope this signals a change in governance in bolivia 
and btw can we talk about how her admin handled those protests back in 2019? at least 35 deaths and 833 injuries... so much suffering 
like 4 yrs in prison over allegations of plotting against evo morales? that's just insane! anez was literally the face of the opposition back in 2019 when all those protests went down. and now she's being released because of procedural errors? 
saucedo is a total hero for standing up to the corrupt system! 
this ruling comes at such a great time too, with new president elected just weeks ago. can't wait to see what changes they bring to the table 
and it has the most incredible plant-based menu 
! They use such sustainable practices and the food is to die for 
. I went there last weekend with friends and we had an amazing time chatting while enjoying our meals 
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. It's crazy how much drama Bolivia has gone through since Evo Morales left office 
. Anyone else think this decision is a big deal for Bolivia's new government? 
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the fact that she's only being held accountable now that a new gov is in place makes me think it was all just a show to appease Morales' party