On March 12, the Bolivian prosecutor’s office issued a groundbreaking statement, calling for the arrest of those responsible for the massacres in Senkata and Sacaba in November 2019, and human rights abuses that persisted throughout 2020. In particular, the apprehension of post-coup president Jeanine Añez marked a significant step toward justice for the dozens of Bolivians killed and the thousands arrested during her year-long regime.

The main police operation captured Añez in her home state of Beni. Shortly after footage of her arrest went viral across the world (she was found hiding in a box under her bed), she was transferred to the holding cells of the FELCC (Special Anti-Criminal Force) and eventually incarcerated in a women’s prison in Miraflores, La Paz. She is currently serving six months of pretrial detention.

Last week also saw the arrest of her right-hand man Arturo Murillo by US authorities. He was apprehended in South Florida following an investigation into money laundering, bribery and corruption charges related to the purchase of $6.1 million worth of tear gas and anti-riot equipment during his time as the Minister of Government in the Añez regime.