Bolivian top court annuls former interim president sentence and orders her immediate release

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LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — The Bolivian Supreme Court of Justice on Wednesday annulled the 10-year prison sentence against former interim President Jeanine Áñez, ordering her immediate release.

The court also ordered that Áñez, who has been imprisoned for more than four years, be subjected to a political trial, as demanded by her defense.

Court President Romer Saucedo told the media on Wednesday that the sentence was annulled based on “several arguments” and the vote of seven of the nine justices. Saucedo explained that the decision was based on finding “violations” of due process during Áñez’s trial through ordinary legal channels.

Áñez was convicted for her role in assuming the presidency in a controversial National Assembly session following the deadly 2019 protests that led to the resignation of then-president Evo Morales (2006-2019).

The protests, which resulted in 37 deaths, followed a crisis that erupted after presidential elections where Morales won another term, despite the Organization of American States denouncing the results as fraudulent.

The high court judge confirmed that the sentence’s annulment immediately orders the former president’s release.

Her defense team indicated they were now awaiting this ruling to initiate the necessary release process.

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