NAME: Madelaine

LOCATION: In San Sebastian Prison – Cochabamba, Bolivia

STATUS: Sentenced to 13 years in Bolivia

HER CASE: Madelaine was arrested in Bolivia with her baby daughter and her friends, Stina and Christina. She was carrying 7kg of cocaine concealed in the bottom of Adidas sports bags in her luggage. Seven years later, her case is still unresolved in Bolivia, due to the fact that the two other girls had escaped. Madelaine also gives birth while in prison, but can’t afford the hospital costs, so she resorts to selling her story to a tabloid magazine. Madelaine has now two children living with her in prison.

HER TESTIMONY: Madelaine will be a witness via Skype in the trial against Christina. She says the other two girls knew exactly that they were coming to Bolivia to traffic cocaine. Handcuffed by her feet to a hospital bed, she says, “It doesn’t matter that my name is Rodriguez, I deserve my freedom as much as they do.” Madelaine also says that her best friend Nicole, going to trial in Oslo, is innocent in this case. She says she was recruited by Augusto.

MEDIA PORTRAYAL: Madelaine’s father is from Uruguay and her mother is Norwegian. The Norwegian media portrayed her as the quintessential “Latina trafficker”. Public interest continued to grow, and the press went on reporting the story until Stina was back in Norway and Christina was free. Today, Madelaine is forgotten and the only girl who remains in jail in Bolivia.