The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) confirmed this Thursday, August 29, changes in the Citizen Registry (RC) and revealed that an arrest warrant against the deputy head of that agency was reactivated despite a resolution by the Constitutional Court (CC).
The president of the TSE, Blanca Alfaro, confirmed to La Red that Ramiro Muñoz was dismissed from his position as civil registrar and indicated that the decision was made collegially and based on actions that, according to her, conflict with the actions of the electoral body.
Alfaro added that there was a meeting with representatives of the political parties to notify them of the changes in the RC, which is now in charge of Sergio Escobar Antillón.
“Changes are normal in any institution,” said Alfaro, who said that for months there have been complaints about “convulsions” in RC, referring to actions against the Movimiento Semilla party and some “conflicts” with the UNE.
He justified that Muñoz was removed from office because there have been some “shocks” in decisions that he made based on the independence of that unit; in addition, he said that the political groups indicated that they were not attended to by the RC and that the continuity of the chief in office should be analyzed.
The TSE president said that the new registrar is not new to the institution and that he has experience in the policies discussed in the RC.
Another change
Alfaro also explained that Deyanira Herrera is taking over as head of the Department of Political Organizations, which is expected to strengthen the governance of the RC and improve communication with political parties and transparency towards citizens.
Arrest warrant
Alfaro said that the RC deputy registrar, Leonora Nohemí Castillo Pinzón, notified him of the activation of an arrest warrant against him, which had been suspended by a CC resolution.
“We had already applauded and considered that the CC had determined that the arrest warrant was void, but it seems to me that today she was notified through the lawyer that the order remains in force and we regret it, because we know the anguish that she is experiencing as an official and her family (…) we are awaiting what may happen to the deputy registrar of the Citizens Registry,” Alfaro commented.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) confirmed on July 20, 2023 that there was an arrest warrant against Castillo Pinzón, who at that time was in charge of the RC.
On that occasion, the MP pointed out that the Seventh Court, in charge of Judge Fredy Orellana, issued an arrest warrant against Castillo for obstruction of justice, since, according to them, he refused to comply with the judge’s order, who certified the relevant.
On August 14, the CC revoked the arrest warrant against Castillo, who temporarily held the position of RC.
The resolution details that the CC declared the appeal filed by Castillo admissible and granted the protection requested against Judge “A” of the Seventh Multi-Personal Court of First Instance for Criminal Matters, Drug Trafficking and Crimes against the Environment of the department of Guatemala.
Furthermore, “it definitively suspends the decision that constitutes the challenged act of July 27, 2023, restoring the applicant to the affected legal situation.”
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