The Supreme Electoral Court responded today to the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (Feci), a unit attached to the Public Ministry (MP), regarding the 2023 electoral results.
The magistrate of the highest electoral body, Ranulfo Rojas, indicated that, although the case is confidential, he said that the data is official and that even “the respective accreditations were given to all the elected authorities, in elected positions and who are already exercising its functions”.
He declared that, as part of the TSE’s obligation, it was to inform the head of the Seventh Criminal Court that requested the information. Last Monday, said court gave a period of 48 hours for the TSE to deliver the data, this as part of an investigation carried out by the prosecutor’s office headed by Rafael Curruchiche.
“Let us remember that since they are administrative actions, we will be attentive to see how these actions are managed and we will be reporting in a timely manner,” Rojas added.
Feci’s doubts also focus on the formation of the Semilla Movement political party, a group that is currently suspended. Rojas said that the judge handling the case was informed that the request was transferred to the General Inspection of the TSE and the Directorate of the Citizen Registry “so that they can take some actions.”
TREP case
The investigative body also appealed this Wednesday the decision to send the four TSE magistrates to house arrest, following being subject to proceedings for the purchase of the computer system of the Transmission of Preliminary Electoral Results (TREP). Rojas pointed out that he respects the decision of the investigating entity.
He @MPguatemala appealed the house arrest issued to four magistrates of the @TSGuatemala following being subject to process for the purchase of the TREP. The action seeks to order a preventive detention order for the officials.@free Press@Guatevision_tv
— Douglas Cuevas (@dcuevas_gtv) March 20, 2024
The four magistrates Rojas, Mynor Franco, Gabriel Aguilera and Irma Palencia, Congress withdrew their immunity so that they might be investigated by the MP.
“What I am doing is trusting in the courts of the country, in judicial independence, in my case I was magistrates of Chambers and the Supreme Court of Justice and my decisions were always total independence.”
MP calls for measures
The MP’s Administrative Crimes Prosecutor’s Office appealed the alternative measures of house arrest that were dictated in favor of the four TSE magistrates for the TREP case. Seeking that a criminal court reconsider the ruling and order prison once morest the electoral officials.
Among the arguments cited by the investigating entity to reverse the measures is that, in its opinion, there is a risk of flight. Prior to their voluntary surrender and following losing their immunity on November 30, the judges left the country.
Another argument is that there may be a risk of interference in the investigation. Because they are senior electoral officials, prosecutors consider that they might influence actions that alter the direction of the investigation.
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