Seventh Criminal Judge Fredy Orellana has already completed his constitutional five-year term. For this reason, the plenary session of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) will analyze whether a change in that judiciary is appropriate.
The case had been included in last week’s plenary session, but it was not possible to get to that point on the agenda, confirmed a source from the Judicial Branch (OJ) who asked not to be named.
Judge Orellana has been in the public eye. He was included in the Engel list of the United States Department of State, for being classified as an “anti-democratic actor.”
The Criminal Chamber must submit a report to the full SCJ. It is not yet known what the conclusion would be, but they must be divided on whether they support him continuing for one more term at the head of the Seventh Court or changing him to another court.
This is not the first time that the SCJ has considered transferring Orellana from the Seventh Court. In October of last year, it rejected the request to transfer him to another court.
On that occasion, the Solidarity Labor and Justice Union of Judicial Branch Workers (Soltraj) requested the transfer of Orellana to another court and suggested that he be assigned to Petén, Sololá or Totonicapán, because his work in the Seventh Court had caused citizen unrest and consequent negative effects on the country’s economy due to protests and strikes.
Their cases
Judge Fredy Orellana authorized the searches against the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE). He is the judge overseeing the case against the Semilla Movement, and he ordered them to be temporarily suspended.
He also issued arrest warrants against former prosecutors Juan Francisco Sandoval and Virginia Laparra. His court also ordered the closure of the case against the former deputy accused of corruption, Baudilio Hichos.
One of the raids authorized by the judge, which generated social protests, was when the voting boxes for the 2023 general elections were seized.
Orellana was also the one who endorsed the arrest of journalist and founder of elPeriódico, José Rubén Zamora.
Judges change
The current SCJ removed Judge Marco Antonio Villeda from the forfeiture court after he had completed his constitutional term. Exactly the same reason why it will now analyze the Orellana case.
He also replaced Judge Patricia Gámez of the Sacatepéquez court, who decided to resign.
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