Investigation into Áñez’s daughter deepens criticism of judicial independence

The decision of the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate Carolina Ribera, daughter of the former president, Jeanine Áñez, fueled criticism of judicial independence, due to the way in which this new process is faced. The opponents did not hesitate to describe the decision to resort to 31 institutions that report on the activities of Ribera Áñez as abusive.

“The political persecution of the MAS today targets Carolina Ribera, daughter of former president Añez, for defending her mother from attacks by ministers, servile prosecutors and judges and a rotten justice to the bone. 32 entities will invent the trial. A cowardice and an infamy ”, he published on his personal Twitter account, former president Carlos Mesa.

Former President Mesa tweeted about the investigation into Carolina Ribera

This Tuesday it was learned that the Prosecutor’s Office investigates Carolina Ribera since July 2022 And for that, he requested reports from 31 public and private institutions, in order to know all the movements made by the eldest daughter of Jeanine Áñez. The investigation goes back six years, from 2017.

“The political, fiscal and judicial persecution is against me. His revenge is against me. LuchoXBolivia @IvanLimaMagne @EvoEsPueblo are MORE cowardly and less men than ever when persecuting my daughter for defending her mother. I denounce this new aberration before the international community! ”, Launched the former president from her confinement in Miraflores.

Former President Jeanine Áñez tweeted about the investigation to her daughter

Meanwhile, his defense attorney, Luis Guillén, told Unitel: “There is no commission of a criminal act that could lead one to think that she should be investigated. The only reason they were investigating her is because she was the daughter of the former president of State.

“We have learned about this (the investigation) recently; clarify that Carolina Ribera has not been informed what is being investigated for, which is the minimum that should be done; You cannot choose a citizen at random,” added Guillén.

Waldo Albarracín, human rights activist and former UMSA rector also gave his opinion on the subject through a trill:

“In an inhuman and fascistoid way, the MAS governmentintends to criminalize love, loyalty and defense of a daughter towards her mother, promoting through the Prosecutor’s Office that is under her control, a criminal investigation against Carolina Ribera, daughter of former president Jeaninne Añez”.

Reactions to the investigation into Carolina Ribera

On the other front, the MAS said that in 2019 the politicians of that time “They entered the government to plunder the state,” The senator, Lindaura Rasguido, asked that not only the ex-ministers be investigated, but their entire family.

“What we must manifest is that the investigations be carried out; They have entered the State to steal, all the relatives of all the ministers, all the authorities to steal and that seems to me to be the objective. And what does the prosecutor’s office have to do? investigate, not only the daughter but all the relatives and to all the authorities that were involved in that coup d’état,” he told the media.

For her part, the Vice Minister of Communication, Gabriela Alcón, at a press conference, denied that there is political persecution.

“What we have always told all servants, public officials, the entire population in general, (is that) they have to respond (before justice); we are subject to the same regulations; We are in permanent evaluation. Only here there is a custom for seek impunity for certain facts, for certain actions”.

“Due process and independence will be guaranteed of the organs of the State; so what corresponds is, precisely, to answer before the Justice, as any citizen, any Bolivian man or woman in the national territory has to do. no privileges For no one, definitely. And, if we are using political persecution to achieve impunity, then I think that is not the way out. Here we have regulations, here we have bodies that are independent and that have to do their job.”

In July of last year, the investigation began against Carolina Ribera Áñez and Natalia Ibáñez Vaca; the first daughter of Jeanine Áñez and the second, cousin of the Governor of Santa Cruz, Luis Fernando Camacho. In September of that year, the researchers suggested issuing 33 requests, although two companies are repeated in the report.