Former Bolivian President Áñez 'attempts suicide' in jail after being charged with genocide over the deaths of protesters in 2019
Former Bolivian President Jeanine Áñez is recovering from an apparent suicide attempt in jail after she was charged with genocide by prosecutors.
Áñez, 54, cut her arms, her lawyer Norka Cuellar told local reporters after police reported the incident as attempted suicide.
'This is a cry for help from the former president. She feels very harassed,' Cuellar said.
'The doctor came in and found her with the cuts. They have sutured her.'
Former Bolivian President Jeanine Áñez (pictured March 13, 2021) is recovering after she attempted to commit suicide inside a prison in Bolivia on Saturday. The 54-year-old has been in custody since March 13 following accusations that she had participated in a coup to oust longtime former President Evo Morales in 2019
The Office of the Attorney General of Bolivia announced genocide charges against former President Jeanine Áñez over the deaths of 20 protesters in 2019.
Another member of her legal team, Jorge Valda, says he who worries the former president might attempt to kill herself again if she doesn't receive the corresponding psychological treatment.
'A person, when they injure themselves, no matter how big or small the wound, physically speaking, you must understand that the psychological injury is absolutely profound,' Valda said.
The apparent suicide attempt took place a day after the Office of the Attorney General of Bolivia announced genocide charges against Áñez over the deaths of 20 opposition protesters in 2019.
Áñez was taken into custody March 13 on charges of sedition, conspiracy and terrorism following accusations that she had participated in a coup to oust longtime former President Evo Morales in 2019.
Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo on Saturday confirmed that Áñez had apparently tried to hurt herself but was now in stable condition.
'What happened is within the definition of attempted suicide,' Douglas Uzquiano, head of the special anti-crime unit of the national police, told local television.
Jeanine Áñez waves from a window of Miraflores women's jail to her supporters protesting for her release in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday
Journalists gather outside the Miraflores women's penitentiary, where Bolivia's former president Jeanine Áñez is being held awaiting trial on charges of genocide, sedition, conspiracy and terrorism over accusations that she had participated in a coup to oust longtime former President Evo Morales in 2019
Áñez's daughter, Carolina Ribera, said her mother's suicide attempt was the result of an ongoing investigation over allegations she received donations while chairwoman of the social management unit.
'She is being harassed, persecuted, threatened and what affected her a lot is that they want to do something to me,' Ribera said Sunday.
Áñez became the South American nation's second female president November 12, 2019 after Morales agreed to step down from office.
Áñez has denied the allegations and says she is a victim of political persecution. She is in jail while awaiting trial.
Since being jailed, Áñez has suffered multiple health scares, and doctors have said she has hypertension and some mental health issues.
Last week, Áñez was twice taken to a hospital near where she is being held in La Paz. On Wednesday, she was taken to a separate facility in the nearby city of El Alto.
Carolina Ribera, daughter of Bolivia's former President Jeanine Áñez, protests with supporters last Wednesday outside the jail where her mother is being held awaiting trial. Ribera believes her mother's suicide attempt on Saturday was the result of an ongoing investigation over the alleged investigations she received donations while Áñez was chairwoman of the social management unit