Añez Demands Hospital Transfer but Refuses Medical Evaluation
Former senator Jeanine Añez refused to undergo a medical assessment by experts from the Forensic Investigations Institute (IDIF) when they arrived at the Miraflores prison in La Paz on Friday, according to a report issued by the specialists.
The report indicates that the ex-dictator’s son, José Armando Rivera, told the medical specialists that she “would not proceed to such an assessment” of her health. The evaluation was ordered by a prosecutor, however Añez, who claims to be on hunger strike, will only accept that she be transferred out of the jail to a hospital where it’s widely believed she would attempt to escape.
In response to the prosecutor’s order for a medical evaluation of Añez’s state of health, the IDIF specialists reported that “the undersigned IDIF forensic doctors constituted ourselves today, Friday, February 18, 2022 at 09:50 a.m. at the Women’s Orientation Center of Miraflores where we interviewed security personnel and health personnel (doctors and nurses) who were in the medical area of the prison compound.” They were ultimately unable to proceed with the health assessment despite claims made by Añez’s family to the media that she’s in an extremely fragile state and suffering from numerous health problems which require urgent medical attention.
A judge-ordered hospital transfer was blocked on the same day, by hundreds of people who quickly arrived at the Miraflores prison to prevent Añez from leaving in what they called a corrupt move by the judge. The demonstration which lasted through the afternoon and evening ended after penitentiary authorities released a statement saying the protests had rendered the extraction impossible.
During a virtual hearing this week, Añez became suddenly unwell and, according to doctors by her side, experienced decompensation and was dehydrated. While Añez has refused the evaluation, her daughter Carolina went swiftly with her lawyers to the IDIF for a medical-forensic assessment after she claimed to have suffered attacks when visiting her mother at the Miraflores prison.
Añez should soon stand trial in the Golpe de Estado II case, accused of the crimes of breach of duties and resolutions contrary to the Constitution for actions she took when she was second vice president of the Senate and proclaimed herself president of Bolivia.
