Removal of prosecutors and pending investigations by the Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption

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Due to the institutional crisis in the Public Ministry (MP) caused by the actions of the attorney general, María Consuelo Porras Argueta, in the different prosecutor’s offices, some high-impact investigations that involve officials and former officials run the risk of becoming stagnant.

One of Porras’ decisions that has generated controversy is the dismissal of former prosecutor Juan Francisco Sandoval, who was head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (FECI), which was strongly criticized by the international community, especially by the government of States. United, stating that they did not trust her and suspending aid for the MP.

However, firing Sandoval from the MP has not been the only questionable action by Porras, the movements he has made in other prosecutors, such as the Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption, have also drawn attention, which has led to the arrest of some cases important people known to this unit, according to sources with knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, told La Hora.

CONTROVERSY CHANGES IN THE PROSECUTOR AGAINST CORRUPTION

On April 16, Porras removed the then head of the Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption, Stuardo Campo, and appointed him head of the Prosecutor’s Office against Smuggling of Migrants.

According to the MP, the removal of Campo from the Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption was done to “strengthen” the Prosecutor’s Office against Smuggling of Migrants.

Campo’s change to another prosecutor’s office occurred days after he requested information from the Congress of the Republic about the inauguration of former President Jimmy Morales, as La Hora was able to learn at the time.

In addition, on July 10, Porras transferred the auxiliary prosecutor Eduardo Pantaleón from the unit; from the Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption went to the Liquidating Prosecutor’s Office of the MP. His change was made two weeks after they revealed investigations in the Victim’s Institute, led by Alejandra Carrillo, wife of the deputy of TODOS and accused of corruption by the United States government, Felipe Alejos.

The MP justified that the change of Pantaleón was made to protect his life and minimize the level of risk, but they did not explain the danger he was running from being in said prosecutor’s office.

La Hora learned that the change in Pantaleón was due to the investigations being carried out at the Institute of the Victim.

HIGH IMPACT INVESTIGATIONS ON RISK

According to sources, around 15 high-impact investigations by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office are at risk of becoming stagnant, with no results, since with the departure of prosecutors Campo and Pantaleón, they have not had the same follow-up, as when they were in said unit, they added.

The sources pointed out which are the high-impact cases that are at risk of becoming stagnant.

Carretera at finca de Giammattei:

The Prosecutor’s Office was investigating the construction of a highway between Santa María de Jesús, Sacatepéquez and Palín, Escuintla, which would benefit the president’s family, since it would give access to a ostentatious property of Giammattei, according to a report in Article 35.

Bribes to Mynor Moto:

The fugitive from justice and former judge, Mynor Moto, has an arrest warrant for allegedly benefiting those involved in the Chimaltenango Libramiento Case, the prosecution’s investigation indicates.

Corruption Ministry of Culture and Sports:

The prosecutor’s office is investigating three possible acts of corruption within the portfolio, which are related to the hiring of personnel and purchases. For this case, the former Minister of Culture, Elder Suchité Vargas, who was assigned to the position by former President Morales, is facing criminal proceedings.

Victim Institute Lease:

The prosecution investigates a possible overvaluation of the lease and payment of “bite” around the building where the headquarters of the entity is located, in which it is presumed that Carrillo would benefit from part of the rent payment.

Ghost squares Victim’s Institute:

The case involves the hiring of 109 people who would have been sponsored by officials and former officials of the Executive, Judicial and Legislative Bodies, therefore, the hiring would not have adhered to what the law establishes.

Chimaltenango Bypass:

The “mega work”, as Morales presumed, had an estimated cost of Q500 million, but has registered several landslides derived from design problems carried out by the ministry and during the rains the road is flooded. Accused of anomalies in the contracting for road construction, former officials of the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing and representatives of the construction companies in charge of the project were captured; In addition, an arrest warrant was issued against former Minister José Luis Benito, who is a fugitive from justice.

Fake Covid-19 tests:

The prosecution has assigned the case of corruption that was denounced at the time by the Minister of Health, Amelia Flores, for the purchase of 30 thousand tests to detect SARS-CoV-2, for Q7,350,000 to the company Kron Científica Industrial, SA, which turned out to be false.

Purchases from Labymed:

At the time, Campo announced that they were investigating the purchases made by the State to the company Labymed SA, to attend the Covid-19 pandemic, since, according to deputies’ complaints, there could be anomalies in the hiring, since this company could benefit because donated medical equipment to the government of Alejandro Giammattei.

Russian vaccines:

The public prosecutor’s office launched an investigation into the purchase of Sputnik V vaccines from Russian suppliers. The Giammattei government paid in advance 8 million of the drug, Q614.5 million, of which just over 1 million of the immunizers have been delivered.

Insivumeh case:

The investigation is related to anomalies due to a contract made by the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology (Insivumeh) to the company Outsourcing Total SA, for Q22 million, which is linked to the Prosperidad Ciudadana deputy, Jorge García Silva.

Case Q135 million:

The prosecution has assigned the investigation to determine the destination of Q135 million from the Ministry of Communications, led at that time by the now deputy of VAMOS, Josué Edmundo Lemus. At the time, the former director of Roads, Fredy Chojolán, affirmed in a congressional summons that a millionaire transfer had been authorized, supposedly with his forged signature.

Case of relatives of Chojolán:

In addition, the prosecution is in charge of an investigation into millionaire awards to construction companies linked to relatives of the former director of Roads, Fredy Chojolán.

OTHER CASES OF CORRUPTION

Likewise, the sources indicated that another of the cases in danger is one about the construction of the Sanarate-El Rancho highway, as well as possible corruption within the Executing Unit of Road Conservation (Covial) of the Ministry of Communications and corruption in the Traffic Department of the National Civil Police (PNC).

The School Medical Insurance, State contracts in favor of companies linked to the president of Congress, Allan Rodríguez, and anomalies in the negotiation of frequencies by authorities of the Telecommunications Superintendency (SIT), are other investigations by the Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption that are in danger , the sources pointed out.

They added that, in the cases of the Chimaltenango Bypass and the Ministry of Culture, the prosecution would consider a second phase in the investigations.

PORRAS: “THE MP HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS PROGRESS”

Last Thursday, Porras issued a prerecorded message in which he made accusations against Sandoval, who a day later was authorized an arrest warrant against him, for a case that is under reservation, according to the MP.

In these statements, the attorney general assured that her administration has demonstrated “its progress, through the annual reports, which have made a historic contribution to the Guatemalan justice system.”

“In 24 years of existence, there was only 16 percent national coverage, while in the current administration, in less than three years we reached one hundred percent coverage,” he added.

According to Porras, “the fight against corruption and impunity remains firm as the task of the entire MP.”

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