This August 29th was celebrated in the High Risk Court D, in charge of Abelina Cruza hearing in which he participated Julio Ligorriaaccording to the indications of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in it Construction and Corruption case.
The defense of Ligorria, Former Guatemalan ambassador to Washingtonargued that they presented themselves before the judicial authorities voluntarily to requestr the dismissal of the casewhose origin dates back to the previous administration of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (Feces).
Judge Cruz indicated that the Public Ministry has been “negligent to carry out the research against Ligorria“and that has violated his rights of defense, because For 11 years there has been no progress in the investigation.
For this reason, he indicated that the Public Ministry will have 20 days to solve the situation of Ligorría and a hearing will be held to consider the request.
Cruz indicated that it was the previous administration of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity the one who made the accusations against Ligorría and asked the current one to resolve the situation of the former ambassador.
“It is very easy for them, from abroad, to be criticizing and defaming to this judiciary, in a situation of rebellion and They do not come forward to resolve their legal situation. It is necessary that the current Public Ministry continue with that objectivity that has characterized the institution and that on certain occasions is detour“the judge said.
He added that the Public Ministry will have until September 30th to resolve the situation of Ligorria; meanwhile, the Court will hold the hearing to decide his legal situation on October 1st at 9am.
He stressed that the arrest warrants that had been requested against Ligorría are void y will continue like this, awaiting the Public Prosecutor’s Office respond to the requirement.
Change of judge in Court D
After the hearing, former ambassador Julio Ligorría made statements about the process and indicated that although “justice is slow” he hopes to be able to continue with his “normal life and work.”
He added that the change of judge in Court D, with the departure of Erika Aifán, caused delays in the actions of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and its lawyers.
Antecedent
In 2017, the extinct International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office They presented the case, in which they accused former officials of the Partido Patriota government of having committed illegalities and having received bribes for government projects. Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing.
The accusations against Ligorría were for money laundering and illicit electoral financingwhose funds, according to the MP, would have been used for the campaign of referred to party in the 2011 election campaign.
In January 2022, it became known that the current administration of the Feces He proposed to close the investigation against Ligorría and that the previous head of the aforementioned Court would be asked, Erika Aifánthe disesteem of the accusation.
The Feces He also revoked the arrest warrant that had been issued against Ligorría.
Rafael Curruchichehead of the Feci, then indicated that the request had been made to the judge Aifán after having submitted the investigation to an analysis.
“We have concluded that what is appropriate is to revoke the arrest warrant for the two crimes and request the disesteem“, Curruchiche said on that occasion.
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