The United States calls for the release of Áñez and other politicians detained in Bolivia

Washington, Mar 27 (EFE) .- The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, called this Saturday for the release of former interim Bolivian president Jeanine Áñez and two of her former ministers, and expressed his concern about “signs of undemocratic behavior.” in Bolivia.
In a statement, Blinken expressed the strongest reaction so far from the administration of US President Joe Biden to the arrest two weeks ago of the three Bolivian politicians, accused of “sedition, terrorism and conspiracy.”
“The United States is deeply concerned about the growing signs of undemocratic behavior and the politicization of the legal system in Bolivia, following the recent arrest and pre-trial detention of former officials of the interim government,” said the US Foreign Minister.
Without directly mentioning Áñez or the detained former ministers, Álvaro Coimbra and Rodrigo Guzmán, the head of US diplomacy referred at all times to the “former officials” or former officials of the interim government that emerged after what the current Bolivian Executive considers the coup in 2019.
“We ask the Bolivian government to make clear its support for peace, democracy and national reconciliation, by releasing detained former officials while conducting an independent and transparent investigation into human rights and due process concerns,” Blinken said.
He added that those arrests “are not consistent with Bolivia’s democratic ideals,” and “discredit the extraordinary efforts of so many Bolivian voters, candidates, and public workers” that turned the October 2020 elections and subnational elections into a “democratic success.” of this month.
Blinken added that there are doubts about the “legality” of the said arrests because they are “based on unsubstantiated accusations, the apparent violations of due process in their execution and the deeply politicized nature of the Bolivian government’s oversight work.
The head of US diplomacy stressed that he still hopes to maintain a “robust and mutually respectful relationship” with the government of the current Bolivian president, Luis Arce, and that both the Bolivian authorities and protesters act in this case with “peace, restraint and respect “.
He also assured that his position coincided with that of “the European Union (EU), the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Bolivia and both Bolivian and international human rights organizations.”
Blinken’s position comes almost two weeks after the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, requested the release of Áñez and the two former ministers, in part because he considered that the “Bolivian judicial system is not in conditions to provide the minimum guarantees of fair trial and impartiality “.
During a meeting this week in Mexico, both Arce and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador urged Almagro not to intervene in the internal affairs of the countries.
Áñez and the members of his Cabinet are accused of “sedition and terrorism” during the crisis of 2019 after the failed elections that led to the resignation of Evo Morales to the Presidency of Bolivia, which the current Executive considers a coup d’état.
Along with them and two exalted military commanders, there are also processes against other opposition political leaders and several ex-military and former police officers who are wanted by the Justice.