April 28, 2023, 4:00 AM
April 28, 2023, 4:00 AM
The former Minister of Health, Eidy Roca, won her first battle last night to be able to leave the country and receive medical treatment in Argentina. The 11th Criminal Sentencing Court of Santa Cruz granted him guardianship and recognized that “his rights were violated” when Judge William Presbítero denied him that possibility and postponed the hearings to deal with that appeal.
The defense attorney, Jorge Valda, explained that The ruling instructs this judicial authority to deal with the case and authorize the uprooting. The sister of former Minister Roca, who was at the hearing, reported that the family “will comply with everything necessary, all the requirements so that the final authorization of the trip can be achieved.”
For it, Roca must present, once again, the medical appointment, tickets, in addition to the medical diagnosis to the Judge Presbyter. “This must be resolved in the day; that is, in the course of the next 24 hours,” said Valda, who stressed that “guardianship” has been granted.
“I expected permission to be given immediately, somehow we have been granted guardianship. I must present the ticket and the date of the medical appointment, ”said Roca at the end of a hearing of more than four hours, not counting the other two hours that he had to wait. She was summoned for 2:00 p.m., the court hearing began after 4:00 p.m. and the ruling was announced after 8:00 p.m. Notifications took another hour.
Uprooting is essential for ex-authority to travel to Argentina where he should receive specialized care to stop the progress of the Multiple Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) he suffers from. The disease is irreversible and, in his case, it is in its terminal phase.
Roca arrived at the Palace of Justice in a wheelchair and assisted by a nurse. She was even fed from her through a tube during the legal act.
“I request that I be authorized to travel outside the country and receive care or treatment that can stop the progression of the disease. I can barely talk, I can’t eat, and I just got my food through a tube,” she remarked.
Roca was at the hearing accompanied by the representative of the Permanent Assembly of Human Rights, Amparo Carvajalwho considered, before the hearing, that if the permit does not prosper “the political motivations” of the Government of President Luis Arce are demonstrated.
The ex-minister indicated, at the beginning of yesterday’s session, that received the answer from the president. She was hopeful of getting authorization. “I just want permission to live a little longer,” she said after acknowledging the seriousness of the disease that afflicts her.
Defense lawyers recalled that Yesterday the fourth hearing was completed to authorize the uprooting, since Roca has been under house arrest for two years. They even recalled that the medical appointment to be attended in the Argentine city of Córdoba had been established for six months.
“This office regrets the health condition that he claims to suffer and, consequently, states that The National Government will not have any observations to the issuance of the document that requires and, even less, would it hinder his departure in any way, as was done in November 2019, when, despite having the respective safe-conduct, an attempt was made to prevent the departure of the now President Luis Arce Catacora, in an arbitrary and violent manner. points out the letter that Roca received from the head of the presidential office, Fabiola Consuelo Salazar Calle, in the name of the president.
