GUATEMALA-CORRUPTION/COURT Prosecutor indicts former Guatemalan vice president over customs scandal

Record ID: 142808

  • Title: GUATEMALA-CORRUPTION/COURT Prosecutor indicts former Guatemalan vice president over customs scandal
  • Date: 24th August 2015
  • Summary: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (AUGUST 24, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GENERAL VIEW OF HEARING VARIOUS OF FORMER GUATEMALAN VICE PRESIDENT ROXANA BALDETTI WITH HER LAWYER JUDGE IN COURT DURING HEARING REPORTERS AND POLICEMEN AT COURT GENERAL VIEW OF HEARING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, JOSE ANTONIO MORALES, SAYING: "Roxana Baldetti Elias, the prosecution indicates that you are part of a criminal organisation of more than 10 people with controls and functions that have clearly been defined, which have been established through a special method using wiretaps and other media. You have consistently been operating (as part of this criminal organisation) since at least May 2014 until April 2015. (This is) a criminal association with which you intended to defraud the state of Guatemala." VARIOUS OF BALDETTI WITH LAWYER VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS IN FRONT OF COURTHOUSE BANNER THAT READS: "YES TO GENERAL ELECTIONS ON SEPTEMBER 6, NO TO A COUP D'ETAT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DEMONSTRATOR, CARLOS ARRIAGA, SAYING: "We here ask for the self-determination of our country because this is nothing but a coup and behind it is the oligarchy and business leaders in this country." VARIOUS OF WOMEN MARCHING IN FAVOUR OF GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT OTTO PEREZ
  • Embargoed: 8th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Guatemala
  • Country: Guatemala
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA43SGA100Z6GH6UWSQIZ6A7WNH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Guatemala's Attorney General indicted former Vice President Roxana Baldetti on Monday (August 24) accusing her of forming part of a customs racket in the first court hearing of the case that led to the resignation of the officer in May and is threatening to ensnare the country's President Otto Perez.
    On Friday (August 21), former Vice President Roxana Baldetti was arrested over the racket known as La Linea, or 'the line' scandal, after a phone hotline used in the scandal. Attorney General Thelma Aldana submitted a bid to impeach Perez later that day.
    Baldetti, who stood down in May, is suspected of illicit association, bribery and fraud linked to the customs racket.
    "Roxana Baldetti Elias, the prosecution indicates that you are part of a criminal organisation of more than 10 people with controls and functions that have clearly been defined, which have been established through a special method using wiretaps and other media. You have consistently been operating (as part of this criminal organisation) since at least May 2014 until April 2015. (This is) a criminal association with which you intended to defraud the state of Guatemala," said public prosecutor, Jose Antonio Morales, during the hearing.
    Prosecutors say Perez was at the head of the scam.
    So far Perez has dismissed corruption allegations levelled against him by prosecutors and said on Sunday he would not stand down, despite mounting pressure on the government and calls for his impeachment as a presidential election looms.
    Guatemala's attorney general and a U.N.-backed anti-corruption body known as the CICIG sought to impeach Perez on Friday after months of investigation into the racket.
    Perez also took a swipe at sectors of the international community he said were "seeking to intervene" in Guatemalan democracy. He did not specify to whom he was referring.
    Perez's agriculture and health ministers both quit his cabinet on Sunday, following in the footsteps of two others on Saturday who said they could no longer serve in his government.
    It is unclear how much money was involved in the fraud, More than 20 people have been arrested over it so far.
    The first round of the presidential vote is due on Sept. 6 although, with a 50 percent winning threshold in place, the elections are likely to go to a second round run-off on Oct. 25.
    Demonstrators in favour of Perez said the scandal was part of a plot to overthrow Perez.
    "We here ask for the self-determination of our country because this is nothing but a coup and behind it is the oligarchy and business leaders in this country," said demonstrator, Carlos Arriaga.
    Perez cannot run for re-election under Guatemalan law.
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