Guatemala president's brother, son held on suspicion of fraud

Record ID: 164624

  • Title: Guatemala president's brother, son held on suspicion of fraud
  • Date: 18th January 2017
  • Summary: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (JANUARY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** BROTHER OF GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT, SAMMY MORALES, ESCORTED BY POLICE TO COURT BUILDING AFTER HIS DETENTION MEDIA SON OF PRESIDENT MORALES, JOSE MANUEL MORALES, ARRIVING WITH SUSPECTS UNDER POLICE PRESENCE POLICE AND REPORTERS AT COURT BUILDING DEPUTY MINISTER FOR SECURITY, RICARDO GUZMAN, AND ATTORNEY GENERAL THELMA ALDANA ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DEPUTY MINISTER FOR SECURITY, RICARDO GUZMAN, SAYING: "Today there were two raids for the detention of two men, Samuel Morales Cabrera and Mario Estuardo Orellana Lopez." MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GUATEMALAN ATTORNEY GENERAL, THELMA ALDANA, SAYING: "The theft of funds through events, which was the case we first came across in the first phase of breakfasts for 564 people which never happened." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COMMISSIONER AGAINST IMPUNITY IN GUATEMALA, IVAN VELAZQUEZ, SAYING: "This is why we insist that incidents of this type constitute corrupt practice where public funds are used up." VARIOUS OF BROTHER AND SON OF PRESIDENT MORALES DURING HEARING MEDIA AT HEARING VARIOUS OF BROTHER AND SON OF PRESIDENT MORALES DURING HEARING
  • Embargoed: 1st February 2017 23:21
  • Keywords: Guatemala corruption Jimmy Morales Samuel "Sammy" Morales
  • Location: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
  • City: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
  • Country: Guatemala
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015ZM02TF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Guatemala on Wednesday (January 18) arrested the brother and a son of the country's president, who swept to victory with an anti-graft campaign, for their alleged involvement in corruption.
    Jimmy Morales was elected president in 2015 pledging to clean up Guatemalan politics after riding a wave of public anger over a corruption scandal that led to the arrest and trial of his predecessor, retired General Otto Perez.
    The alleged corruption in Morales' family represents a major blow to the former comedian's credibility in a country roiled by years of armed conflict and political corruption.
    Last September, a judge barred Samuel "Sammy" Morales, an older brother and a close adviser to the president, and Jose Manuel Morales, one of his four sons, from leaving the country over suspicious payments linked to the mother of Jose Manuel's then-girlfriend in 2013.
    At a news conference in the capital, the Deputy Minister for Security Ricardo Guzman said raids were carried out in connection with the case.
    "Today there were two raids for the detention of two men, Samuel Morales Cabrera and Mario Estuardo Orellana Lopez," said Guzman.
    The alleged corruption arose when the mother of Jose Manuel's then-girlfriend agreed to supply Christmas hampers to officials at the national property registry, which is being investigated for suspected graft, according to testimony given during a public hearing about the registry.
    The woman sent the registry a bill for 90,000 quetzal ($11,936) made out in the name of a local restaurant for 564 breakfasts, not Christmas hampers, according to the attorney general.
    "The theft of funds through events which was the case we first came across in the first phase of breakfasts for 564 people which never happened," said Aldana.
    Another eight people, including officials from the general property registry, were also detained.
    Guatemala's Commissioner Against Impunity, Ivan Velazquez, said the incident was an act of corruption.
    "This is why we insist that incidents of this type constitute corrupt practice where public funds are used up," he said.
    President Morales has expressed support for both his family and the law during the process.
    Attorney General Aldana has reported that the president had "not interfered once" during the investigation into his brother and his son, who studies in the United States and returned to Guatemala to answer questions in the case.
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