The Supreme Court of Justice of Bolivia annulled the 10-year sentence against Jeanine Áñez and ordered her immediate release
Compartir:
Bolivian leader Jeanine Áñez regained her freedom this Thursday after four years and seven months in detention for the so-called "Coup d'État II" case. The decision was made by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), which annulled the 10-year prison sentence and ordered her immediate release.
Áñez, accompanied by her children and surrounded by Bolivian flags, left the Miraflores prison before a crowd that welcomed her with flowers, banners, and messages of support. "I'm never going to regret having served my country when my country needed me," she said, visibly moved.
A historic ruling marking the end of political persecution
The highest Bolivian court extraordinarily reviewed the sentence handed down in 2022 and agreed with the defense's arguments, which maintained that Áñez should have been tried through an impeachment process, as is appropriate for a former head of state, and not through ordinary proceedings.
Jeanine Añez recuperó su libertad tras casi cinco años presa y reivindicó su lucha por Bolivia
The former president had been convicted of "usurpation of functions" and "resolutions contrary to the Constitution," in a case initiated by Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS) after Evo Morales's resignation in 2019.
"There was never a coup d'état in Bolivia; what happened was electoral fraud," Áñez reaffirmed upon regaining her freedom, reiterating her position on the political crisis the country experienced.
International support and recognition of her courage
Áñez's release sparked a wave of reactions across Latin America. Democratic leaders and human rights advocates celebrated the court's decision, considering it a step toward institutional redress in Bolivia.
Jeanine Añez recuperó su libertad tras casi cinco años presa y reivindicó su lucha por Bolivia
Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, María Corina Machado, sent her a congratulatory message: "Your example of resilience and courage is recognized throughout the region," wrote the leader.
International organizations had also expressed concern about the judicial process and the conditions in which she remained detained. For many observers, her case symbolizes the political persecution carried out by MAS's Bolivian communism against the opposition.
A new chapter in Bolivian politics
Jeanine Áñez will remain in La Paz for a few days, where she will attend the inauguration of president-elect Rodrigo Paz, scheduled for this Saturday. She will then travel to Trinidad, her hometown, to reunite with her family after nearly five years in confinement.
Her release marks a new chapter in Bolivia's democratic history, after years of polarization and judicial abuses. With her release, the message is strengthened that no government can use the justice system as a tool for political revenge.
