A few days after the media arrest of the former interim president, Jeanine Añez (November 2019 – November 2020), accused of “sedition” and “terrorism”, tension is at its height in Bolivia. Demonstrations against the executive have multiplied in recent days in several cities, especially in Santa Cruz, the economic heart of the country and stronghold of the right. Civic committees (social opposition organizations) demand “The immediate release of political prisoners” and threaten an indefinite strike.
In addition to that issued Friday March 12 against Mme Añez, the prosecution, which is investigating what it qualifies as ” Rebellion “ against the former head of state, Evo Morales, launched eight more warrants arrest against soldiers or former members of the interim government who had ruled the country after the forced departure of Mr. Morales in November 2019. Two former ministers were arrested, others had already left the country months previous ones.
In the early hours of Saturday March 13, Jeanine Añez was arrested in her town of residence, Trinidad, and taken to the capital. The images showing her behind bars in a decrepit cell in a police station in La Paz, before being placed in preventive detention for four months in a women’s prison the next day, made an impression. For many, she is the symbol of justice “To orders”, according to lawyer Ramiro Orias, member of the Foundation for a fair trial.
“This is not a court decision, it is a manipulation of justice by the MAS [Mouvement vers le socialisme, parti de M. Morales] », Denounces political scientist Jorge Dulon. “ Justice acts according to the government in power. There was hope in Bolivia that Luis Arce [l’actuel président de gauche, élu en octobre 2020] – as he had promised besides – would not launch persecution. It shows just the opposite ”, he laments.
An air of déjà vu
On the merits of the case, many voices denounce a “Fragile accusation” and “baseless”. “The crime of terrorism is impossible, worries Ramiro Orias. Acts of terrorism have never existed, it is an abuse of the penal system that qualifies as terrorism a movement of social protests, especially since Mr.me Añez was not the leader of the protest movements. ” For him, the decision aims to “Criminalize social protest and punish dissent”. “On the question of knowing if there was a coup d’etat, it would be up to a high court of justice to rule and not to a simple criminal judge”, he continues.
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