The former authorities servile to Morales condemned the detention of Judge Lilian Moreno and consider her protection vital
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A group of former MAS ministers asked the UN to intervene in defense of Judge Lilian Moreno. The official was detained after annulling an arrest warrant against Morales, the signatories claim that her judicial independence was violated. They allege that she was deprived of liberty without prior process and consider it urgent to protect her integrity.
Morales's former collaborators sent a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner, in which they accuse the Bolivian State of persecuting independent judges. They use Moreno's detention as evidence and mentioned a "flagrant violation" of due process. They also cite a constitutional ruling that prohibits judging judges without prior review.
Moreno's defense argues that her detention was an abuse, lawyer Bladimir Honor denounced arbitrariness by the Public Ministry. He stated that no court order was shown and described the process as political and illegal. He said his client did not receive adequate medical attention.
Hours before her detention, Moreno sent an audio to the press, there she denounced threats and intimidation. She said explosives were left at her house and indicated that she had to block phone numbers due to insults and harassment. She claimed to be sick and convalescent.
She was arrested on Monday morning, while traveling in a vehicle with her cousin on the Doble Vía to La Guardia. The family denounced that the Police did not show any order. She was forcibly removed from the car, then taken to Viru Viru airport.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that there are criminal proceedings against Judge Moreno. She is accused of prevarication and disobedience to constitutional resolutions for her decision on April 30 with which she favored former dictator Evo Morales. She annulled the arrest warrant and changed the jurisdiction of the case, but then another judge revoked her resolution within hours.
Was the judge trying to evade justice?
La jueza Lilian Moreno se encontraba desaparecida
The Prosecutor's Office formally charged Moreno and requested her preventive detention for 30 days in Palmasola. They argue risk of flight and obstruction of the process. They also claim that her whereabouts were uncertain, stating that she did not attend her workplace.
The indictment indicates that her residence was uninhabitable and they claim they could not locate her. They consider that she doesn't have sufficient ties, also mentioning recent police reports. All this justifies, according to the Prosecutor's Office, the precautionary measure.
Moreno had requested medical leave because she underwent shoulder and spine surgery. Her defense assures that she was at home all weekend. The family claims she was heading to work when she was intercepted, denying that she intended to flee.
As of Monday morning, she had not been given medication and had not received food, according to her cousin. They denounce inhumane treatment and lack of access to her basic rights. The Ombudsman's Office appeared at the scene, but so far there is no official report.
The Government remains silent about the details of the operation, nor did it explain why no order was presented at the time of the arrest. The precautionary hearing held this Tuesday in the city of La Paz determined that the judge remains detained for 30 days. The defense demands minimum guarantees.
The complaint sent to the UN calls for an immediate response and also requests actions to stop the alleged persecution of MAS judges. It includes a special request to protect women in justice and proposes the direct intervention of the Special Rapporteur. They seek for the case to have international follow-up.
The resolution signed by Moreno lifted the order against Morales for the case of abuse of a minor. The former dictator was accused of human trafficking with aggravation. In the past, there have been other similar complaints, but the judicial system did not advance.
The reaction of the former authorities is viewed with suspicion, they mobilize only when it comes to protecting the coca leader. They talk about human rights but remain silent in the face of child victims. Moreno's defense insists on her innocence, but the Prosecutor's Office claims to have sufficient evidence.
The case reveals absence of morality in the MAS discourse because they maintain a complicit silence in the face of crimes committed against girls and adolescents. They talk about judicial independence, but attack those who investigate their leader. They mobilize for allied judges, but remain silent in the face of testimonies, evidence, and victims of Morales.
