La Hora had access to the full file through the access to public information law that prompted the complaint presented on March 7 against the General Secretary of the Ministry of Public Affairs (MP), Ángel Pineda, Juan Gerardo Guerrero, General Secretary of President Bernardo Arevalo. , and the right-hand man of the Attorney General, María Consuelo Porras, for the alleged use of public funds for the political persecution of two former officials exiled to the United States.
Guerrero reported on the case, however, when questioned by the press on details, he did not divulge further details. According to the President’s Secretary, on November 16, 2021, Pineda, in his capacity as Secretary of the MP, addressed a letter to the then President, Alejandro Giammattei, demanding that he pay a law firm in the United States to prosecute him. against two exiles “using the defense of state interests as a pretext.”
“A Propaganda Campaign”
The former Attorney General, Thelma Aldana, and the former head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (FECI), Juan Francisco Sandoval, were two former judges who upset Porras and Pineda with their exile in Washington, and from that account the general secretary of the MP who wrote to then-President Giamattei. was sent
Porras, Pineda, and Giammatti share approval from the United States Department of State. All three are banned from entering the North American country because they are considered “corrupt and undemocratic” characters. In addition, he has been accused of politically persecuting officials investigating corruption in the country’s political leadership. To date, more than 30 former Guatemalan judges remain in exile.
The presidency filed a complaint against Porus’ right-hand man, Angel Pineda
The documents confirm what Guerrero had denounced to the press weeks ago, but reveal the letter by which Pineda may have convinced Giamattei to hire a North American law firm to provide criminal prosecution of Aldana and Sandoval from their exile in the United States capital.
“The Public Ministry has carried out various actions aimed at strengthening the criminal procedure in the country, which has been the subject of criticism and malicious comments, directed solely and exclusively at the institution’s infamy, which has caused serious damage not only to the institution, but also to the international level of the State of Guatemala, ” reads the third paragraph.
While the fourth points them out directly: “It is important to note that these actions of international defamation are largely instigated by Mrs. Thelma Esperanza Aldana Hernandez and Mr. Juan Francisco Sandoval Alfaro, who have indicated that they are under political asylum. United States of America , derived from various criminal proceedings against him.
Porras and Sandoval are subject to a series of arrest warrants related to alleged crimes they committed while in charge of their positions in the MP. Both assert that it is political persecution at the hands of their avengers, some of whom they may have put behind bars, with the help of the Porras-led MP administration.
Attributed approvals for 2021
As of July 1, 2021, the United States Department of State has updated the so-called Angel List, a list it has sent to that country’s Congress of people accused of acts of corruption in Northern Triangle countries. On that occasion, 20 Guatemalans, deputies, judges and magistrates were involved.
But on September 20 of that year, United States Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, published on his Twitter account (now X) that Porras and Pineda were also included in Article 353’s list of corrupt and undemocratic actors. Reports on foreign persons participating in actions that obstruct democratic processes or institutions, significant acts of corruption or investigations of corruption.
Faced with this crisis and two months after its incorporation, Pineda indicated in a letter that “in this line of thought, the actions recently adopted by the government of the United States of America, against the State of Guatemala, ” since corruption is combated by sanctions against officials, means ( …) Without the exhaustion of due process the dignity and honor of officials is brought into international disrepute.”
“Under this basis, the sanctions and actions that the Government of the United States of America has imposed on the State of Guatemala are the product of the continuous systematic propaganda of Mrs. Thelma Esperanza Aldana Hernandez and Mr. Juan Francisco Sandoval Alfaro. Directed. , thus not only the interests of the Public Ministry of Guatemala, but Affects the interests of the state in general because external cooperation is conditional to the strengthening of justice,” Pineda accused Aldana and Sandoval without credible evidence.
More than Q460 thousand per month
Guerrero pointed out weeks ago that as a result of Pineda’s presentation, the then Attorney General of the Nation, Jorge Luis Donado, under the orders of Giamattei, began to take the necessary steps to carry out this task before the Ministry of Public Finance “urgently allocating additional financial resources. Every month Q461 Amount for the value of ,600.
In a note published by this newspaper on June 2, 2022, titled « Giammattei’s obsession with Angel List cost us millions«, it was announced that Giamattei had instructed the Ministry of Economy to hire the law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP with the aim of representing the State of Guatemala in international arbitration.
Giamattei wanted a specific lawyer: Daniel Pulecio-Bock, who is promoted as having experience in cases involving sanctioned and US State Department angel lists. Months earlier, Porras and Pineda had been sanctioned by that country. Time.
“For the above reasons, I am currently approaching the Comptroller General of Accounts to request an audit from the Ministry of Public Affairs, the Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Public Finance in relation to the previously described acts during the years 2021 and 2022. Guerrero said in a press conference.
In 2022 La Hora published the recruitment of Greenberg Trauring, LLP law firm
About Angel Pineda
Angel Arnoldo Pineda Avila is the general secretary of the MP and his role is to assist Porras. From June 2021, she became the right-hand man and eyes of the person in charge of criminal prosecution, the person who coordinates and directs Porras’ office, although her decision-making influence extends to other state agencies, according to the report. “The World Consuelo Porras Sees Through Link with Angel Pineda and Giamattei.”
Pineda rose to prominence in the first week of December 2023 when, in a press conference, the MP informed the Guatemalan population that in his opinion the 2023 general elections, which brought victory to President Bernardo Arevalo, were “null and void” under the thesis. The alleged electoral fraud was condemned by international organizations as a “coup d’état”.
Pineda is the link between Porras and the other agencies that make up the MP’s prosecutor’s office areas, as he is in charge of convening and coordinating work meetings when there are service needs. He is officially a key player in the circle of power close to the Attorney General and even held private meetings with former President Alejandro Giamattei.
In a face-to-face with La Hora, Angel Pineda accepted these commitments
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