The preliminary hearing took place on Tuesday, July 27 at 8:00 am outside the Isitro Menandes Judicial Center, protesting against the arrest of FMLN members and their militants.
The Attorney General’s Office (FGR) this Sunday laid charges against 10 former government officials, including former President Mauricio Funes (2009-2014), on charges of money laundering, fraud and illicit enrichment.
The initial hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 27 at 8:00 p.m.
“All of these people are being charged with illegal enrichment and money and property fraud,” the attorney general said in a lawsuit filed in San Salvador’s 2nd Peace Court. “The trial period is similar to the period during which Mr. Carlos Mauricio Funes held different public office during his presidency of Cartagena,” he added.
The public prosecutor confirmed that one of the key findings they maintain in the indictment is that former officers received monthly cash and cash from the private secretariat of the government’s presidential secretariat without being included in their nominal salary. “This amount was obtained outside the law,” the attorney in the case said.
Pictures: This is how they transferred former FMLN officers to court
For his part, Jose Emilio Gonzஸ்lez Castro, Violeta Menzovவரின்r’s chief prosecutor and legal officer of the captured former officers, said he was waiting for a full review to determine the three charges imposed by the prosecutor’s office. The party speaks for each of the accused cases.
“We do not know how many pages are in demand. We know there are five boxes,” said Gonzalez Castro, who said he would seek alternative action due to Violeta Menzovar’s health, without determining the details.
Among the accused were Violetta Menzver, Carlos Cozares, Erlinda Handal, Calicsto Mejia and Hugo Flores Hidalgo who were sent to the Isitro Menendez Judicial Center under strong security measures.
Erlinda Handal and Violeta Menzver at the time of transfer to court. Photo EDH / Lissette Lemus
Outside the courts, members of the FMLN and its militancy opposed the arrest. FMLN figures such as Vice Annapolo Beloso, leaders Lorena Pena, Nidia Thias, Shafiq Handel, Karina Sosa, Yanci Arbina, Oscar Artis joined the struggle.
Annabelle Beloso, the current FMLN vice-president in the legislature, called the detention of former officers a “snatching of liberty” and declared that “we have retreated on the basis of law, institutionalism and, above all, the democratic process.” Moreover, he described the government of Naib Bukel as a dictatorship.
Lorena Pena also came with five defendants and asked that “political harassment” be stopped. Photo EDH / Lissette Monterrosa
Last Thursday, he argued that the actions taken by the former FMLN officers were unprecedented in the previous 30 years and that they were carried out outside the framework of the law. “They are political prisoners and political prisoners,” Bellozo denounced and demanded their release.
The deputy also ruled with zero confidence in the companies investigating the case and said they could not develop a proper process if they were under the order of the executive.
Nidia Thias, a former deputy and signatory to the peace agreements, said the arrests were part of an effort to remove the democratic base that had agreed to sign the peace agreement. “This is a setback because it goes beyond the institutional, legal, constitutional and fundamental rights of the people,” Thias said outside the Justice Center.
The FMLN history leader said the concern was hidden because anyone who thinks or thinks differently than government officials is worried about becoming an adversary and being harassed by companies controlled by the ruling party.
“This cannot be allowed in the country. We have created an independent organization, we have created an organization where rights should prevail and now we see them all being removed,” Thias said.
Humberto Seans, the leader of Axion Ciudadana, pointed to his role in the arrest of former FMLN officers, saying that state officials had committed acts of contempt and that the principle of being considered innocent was not respected.
Sean clarified that “justice should be sought, not public mockery” and that “what is to be sought is no doubt justice, but justice does not imply that acts of defamation should be carried out on the people, and that the authorities gave themselves to those acts of depravity that send a negative message and presume innocence.” .
Similarly, the Law Enforcement Research Institute (Facebook), in a statement, described the arrest of former officers as “abuse of power”.
In this sense, he felt that those arrested in the context of the 70s-80s of the last century had stopped El Salvador, “respect for civil rights was far less than an aspiration.”
The charges against former officers and members of the FMLN, a party that ousted current officials Naib Bukkale, were presented in the Second Peace Court in San Salvador.
Oscar Artis during the fight. Photo EDH / Lissette Monterrosa
Also: Humberto Scenes: Prosecution Against Former FMLN Officials
Defendants were caught in the “Operation Fraud” framework carried out by the Attorney General’s Office and the police, including Gerson Martinez, former Minister of Public Works Lina Paul, former Minister of the Environment, and former Vice President and former President of the country, Salvador Sanchez Seron.
The arrests are the result of investigations launched in the case of Mauricio Funes in 2019, according to the Attorney General imposed by the ruling party Rodolfo Delgado, who has been linked to illegal enrichment activities by extorting up to $ 350 million from public funds. He is currently a fugitive and asylum seeker under the rule of Daniel Ortega.
The prosecutor’s office promises that Violeta Menzover will receive 177,000 thousand; Carlos Cozares $ 210 thousand; Calico Magic 8 208 thousand; $ 177 thousand as Lina; Jose Guillermo Lopez Suarez $ 565 thousand; Hugo Flores $ 174 thousand; $ 162 thousand by Erlinda Hunt; Gerson Martinez 0 290 thousand and; Salvador Sanchez Seron 30 530 thousand; All bonuses considered.