Bolivia government affirms that more than 75 cases link Áñez to alleged coup d’état

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Bolivia’s Minister of Justice, Iván Lima, has detailed that more than 75 investigations link former president Jeanine Áñez to the commission of the alleged coup d’état, before affirming that the Bolivian judiciary is considering the opening of a third investigation into the events that occurred after the October 2019 elections.

In a series of messages published on the Twitter account of the Ministry of Justice, Lima has warned that if it is proven that the taking of office by Añez was “unconstitutional”, as denounced by the current government, “a coup d’état would have been committed”, in addition to crimes such as resolutions contrary to the laws and breach of duties.

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In this sense, he explained that it is necessary to divide what happened in three cases: how Áñez comes to power, how it is consolidated “with the Decree of Death 4078 –which authorized the military to use force in the post-electoral demonstrations–” and how “the serious acts of corruption in which the coup perpetrators robbed the country” are perpetrated. “There are more than 75 processes directly linked to Áñez,” he said.

About the “coup d’état II” case, Lima clarifies that it is here where Áñez is accused, as well as police and military authorities. “If their responsibility is proven, they face sentences of 12 to 14 years in prison,” he warned.

“The coup d’état III case, which is still under analysis, could be against people who have conspired, there could be the participants of the previous cases,” he said, before clarifying that this investigation is focused on the days before the resignation of former President Evo Morales.

“Those linked to these events that led to massacres, corruption, and human rights violations distort the processes with political statements in the media to seek impunity,” criticized Lima before asking them to “testify before the competent authorities of Justice”.

The Bolivian courts have extended the preventive detention of the former president, accused of the crimes of terrorism, sedition, and conspiracy for her role in the so-called coup d’état case, for another five months. On Friday, during the hearing, Áñez denounced that she suffers from “nervous anorexia” and warned that the Bolivian government “seeks” and “will achieve” her “death in the short term”.

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