Guatemala: Prosecutor’s Office asks to arrest defenders of journalist opposed to the Government

The Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI) of Guatemala requested the arrest of three defense lawyers for the journalist Jose Ruben Zamora Marroquin jailed for nine months on charges of money laundering. According to the prosecutor’s thesis, the lawyers would have helped to hinder the criminal action against the journalist.

Zamora Marroquín, president of The newspaperone of the most critical newspapers of the government of Alejandro Giammattei and dedicated to publications on corruption, he has been in pretrial detention since July of last year, after the same Prosecutor’s Office accused him of blackmail and money laundering.

LOOK HERE: Businesswoman Ana Gabriela Rubio Zea was a key player and partner of “Los Chapitos” for fentanyl trafficking, according to the US.

Supposedly he would have asked a friend, Ronald Navarijo (who is now a witness for the Prosecutor’s Office and who is also accused of acts of corruption), who deposited 240,000 quetzales in cash, about $25,000, in a bank as a result of a donation.

Zamora assures that the money would be used to pay the media’s debts and that the person who donated it did not want to be linked to him due to the pressures they receive from the government.

The Prosecutor’s Office said that a judge authorized the arrest of the lawyers Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppaa strong opponent of the Guatemalan government, Justin Brito and Juan Carlos Marroquin Godoy -cousin of the journalist-, because supposedly they would have made a contract of promise of sale of a work of art in order to justify the money donated to Zamora.

Foppa, who was traveling on a bus to appear before the judge who overturned his arrest, said he was detained by police officers a few blocks from the courthouse.

“We come calmly to show our faces, we are convinced that this case will be resolved like the others and I will be in jail for as long as necessary”, said the lawyer upon his handcuffed arrival at the courts.

In 2021, the Prosecutor’s Office also arrested Foppa, with the deployment of several vehicles without license plates and unidentified agents, for allegedly having falsified signatures to form a political party. However, he was released from custody. Foppa tried to register as a candidate for mayor for a left-wing group, but was rejected by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal because there was a criminal proceeding against him.

MORE INFORMATION: The bodies of 17 migrants killed in fire in Mexico arrive in Guatemala

During the Giammattei government, at least 35 justice operators, including former judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, activists, and journalists, have gone into exile, denouncing criminalization for their anti-corruption work and for investigating cases of crimes against humanity. International human rights organizations and countries of the international community, such as USAhave shown concern about the deterioration of human rights and the rule of law in the country.

Source: Elcomercio

jack

I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.