LA PAZ, Bolivia — In a landmark decision, Bolivia’s Supreme Court of Justice annulled the 10-year prison sentence of former interim president Jeanine Áñez, leading to her release from Miraflores women’s prison on Thursday. Áñez, who had been incarcerated for over four years, expressed profound relief as she emerged, waving a Bolivian flag and greeted by jubilant supporters chanting, “Yes, we could.”
Áñez’s imprisonment stemmed from her controversial assumption of the presidency in 2019, following the resignation of then-president Evo Morales amid widespread protests and allegations of electoral fraud. The 2019 crisis, which resulted in 37 deaths, was marked by accusations that Morales had secured an unconstitutional fourth term, as denounced by the Organization of American States.
The Supreme Court’s ruling emphasized that Áñez’s actions were driven by a “state of constitutional necessity” aimed at preserving Bolivia’s institutional stability. This decision effectively closed the debate over whether her ascension constituted a coup, as claimed by Morales’ supporters.
The timing of the ruling is significant, coming just three days before the inauguration of President-elect Rodrigo Paz, whose historic victory on October 19 ended nearly two decades of political dominance by Morales’ leftist Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party. Paz extended an invitation to Áñez to attend his inauguration, with her daughter indicating she might accept.
Áñez, who has faced multiple accusations but no pending cases in ordinary courts, has seen two other convictions annulled in August related to the deaths of 20 protesters during the 2019 crisis. Following the latest presidential elections, the court also reviewed the pretrial detention of Áñez and two other opposition leaders, releasing them from prison and placing them under house arrest.
“The monster had to go for it to be acknowledged that there was not a coup in this country, but rather an electoral fraud,” Áñez declared, reaffirming her commitment to serving Bolivia during its time of need.