Cerimedo's Health Crisis at Palmasola Opens Debate Over Hospital Transfer
Fernando Cerimedo suffered a health crisis due to stress, high blood pressure and tachycardia at Palmasola. His lawyer is considering a possible transfer to an external medical facility.
Cerimedo's Health Crisis Rekindles Legal Dispute Over His Detention
Political adviser Fernando Cerimedo was attended to by medical staff at Palmasola prison after suffering a health crisis at the end of business on Friday, according to El Deber. His lawyer, Ernesto Giraldes, attributed the episode to accumulated stress, elevated blood pressure and tachycardia, and confirmed that his transfer to a hospital outside the penitentiary is being evaluated.
"Mr Fernando Cerimedo has been experiencing a situation of stress for three weeks, since he was apprehended and taken to Palmasola. That situation reached a breaking point and he had a crisis. He does not drink, does not smoke, does not use drugs and has ulcers. His blood pressure went up and he developed tachycardia," Giraldes stated.
The prison's on-duty physician managed to stabilise him. Cerimedo remains under evaluation and tests are being carried out to determine his state of health. According to Giraldes, the decision on a possible transfer to another medical facility depends on the results of those tests.
"All the corresponding tests are being carried out to determine his state of health and whether or not it is necessary to take him to another medical facility with better capacity for care," the lawyer said.
Dispute Over Transfer to Chonchocoro
In parallel, Giraldes confirmed that Cerimedo's transfer to Chonchocoro prison in La Paz has not yet been executed. There is a court order for this purpose, but the defence is presenting arguments to the judiciary to stop it, arguing that an earlier determination issued on 21 August, which ordered his detention at Palmasola, takes precedence.
"The orders are there, but we continue asking that he stay here, in Santa Cruz, with the order that was issued first, on 21 August," Giraldes said.
That first judicial decision ordered his detention in connection with a case involving alleged attempted femicide against his ex-partner, Nadia Beller. A second subsequent order ordered his transfer to Chonchocoro, a decision that the defence is seeking to reverse.
"We need to see which of the orders has to be complied with. The first one is being executed and, if he goes to Chonchocoro, the one that is currently being complied with would no longer be executed," the lawyer argued.
Three Open Cases
Giraldes also indicated that Cerimedo is facing two other cases for alleged offences of illicit enrichment with harm to the State and money laundering.
The defence maintains that a transfer to Chonchocoro could worsen his client's state of health, a key argument with which it is attempting to prevent the transfer to the La Paz prison.
Source: El Deber