The prosecutor’s office produces five former FMLN officers who have been arrested and charged with three counts

The Attorney General’s Office (FGR) this Sunday tabled a financial restraining order against 10 former officials of the government of former President Mauricio Funes (2009-2014). They were charged with money and property fraud, and illegal 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 time when Mr. Carlos Mauricio Funes held different public positions 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.

Images: Former FMLN officers transferred to court

For his part, Jose Emilio Gonzlez Castro, Violeta Menzovவரின்r’s chief attorney and legal representative for the arrested ex – officers, said they were waiting for the full investigation to be completed and that they were waiting to determine the three crimes mentioned by the prosecutor’s office. The ruling party applies in each case of indictment.

“We do not know how many pages are in demand. We know there are five boxes,” said Gonzalez Castro.

It is learned that the former health minister will be represented by four lawyers.

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. EDH Photo / Lisette Lemus

Outside the courts, members of the FMLN and its militancy opposed the arrest. FMLN figures Anabel Beloso, leaders Lorena Pena, Nidia Diaz, Shafiq Handel, Karina Sosa, Yanzi Arbina and Oscar Artis joined the struggle.

Annabel Belloso, the current FMLN vice-president in the legislature, called the detention of former officers “a seizure of liberty” and declared that “we have retreated in terms 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,” Belloso denounced and demanded their release.

He said the deputy had zero confidence in the companies investigating the case and that they could not develop a proper process if they were under the order of the executive officer.

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 structure, the legitimacy, the constitution and the fundamental rights of the people,” Thias said outside the Justice Center.

The FMLN history leader said that anyone who thinks or thinks differently than government officials has a hidden interest in becoming an adversary and being persecuted by companies controlled by the ruling party.

“This cannot be allowed in the country. We have built an independent organization in which an organization should prevail and now we see them all being eliminated,” Thias said.

Members Nidia Thias and Shafiq Handel also took part in the protests. Photo EDH / Lissette Monterrosa

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 disrespected the principle of being considered innocent.

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 destructive acts that send a negative message and presume innocence.” .

Similarly, the Phosphate Foundation for the Use of the Law, in a statement, described the arrest of former officers as “abuse of power.”

In this sense, he considered the detainees to have stopped El Salvador in the context of the 70s and 80s of the last century, adding that “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, in which arrest warrants were issued for Gerson Martinez, former Minister of Public Works Lena Paul, and former Minister of the Environment. , And former Vice President and former President of the country Salvador Sanchez Seron.

The arrests are the result of an investigation launched in 2019 into the Mauricio Funes case, which was allegedly linked to illegal enrichment by extorting up to $ 350 million from public funds, according to the attorney general imposed by the ruling party Rodolbo Delcado. He is currently a fugitive and asylum seeker under the rule of Daniel Ortega.

The prosecutor’s office guarantees that Violeta Menzover will receive 177,000 thousand; Carlos Cozares $ 210 thousand; Calixto Magia 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.