October 10, 2022, 4:00 AM
October 10, 2022, 4:00 AM
The internal call 29/2022 the Council of the Judiciary so that career judges with more than 20 years in the exercise who entered through a merit contest and competition exams, but called ‘transitory’ each defend their position with another exam test , opened for outsiders and admitted the application to former judges with criminal and disciplinary records.
The call mobilized the associations of magistrates from all over the country who declared themselves in an emergency requesting that it be annulled for considering it illegal, abusive and discriminatory, but also, the total resignation of the former president of the Council of the Judiciary Marvin Molina.
The Integrated System of Judicial Registration of Santa Cruz showed that several applicants from outside they were already judges, but dismissed for alleged acts of corruption and proceedings against him.
One of the cases referring to the respective Nurej number is the application of the former judge Dalia Pedraza Ortiz that, according to the Integrated Judicial Registry System, he has 7 criminal proceedings opened against him at the request of the Prosecutor’s Office, in addition to 12 disciplinary proceedings in the Judicial Council itself.
According to the reports of the Council of the Judiciary, this former judge is admitted to the system and enabled in the call to fight for the position of another career judge with 25 years of service and trainer of the School of Judges.
70 points and 4,500 questions
The Association of Magistrates and Judges of Santa Cruz, made up of Gladis Alba, Carlos Roca, Shirley Becerra, Patricia Murillo, Carlos Mendieta and others, reported that in August the Council agreed to carry out performance evaluations for career judges with more than 20 years of exercise. That meant inspecting courts, tribunals to detect irregular acts, slowdowns or files that could be ‘sleeping the sleep of the just’ and if that happened, the measures established by law were taken.
Then, the Council agreed that it would issue a call, but an internal one, only for acting and career judges called ‘transitory’. In other words, each judge had to submit to the tests to defend his own charge.
However, the Association of Magistrates and Judges assured that the Judicial Council, at the beginning of September, surprised with the internal call 29/2022. It includes career judges, but opens the window to people from outside and with backgrounds. It also sets a minimum of 70 points for career judges, while for the position of members and public judges it drops to 56 points.
Likewise, for the career judges, one day before the scheduled test, they are given a database of 4,500 questions for 9 areas of law. Meanwhile, for outside lawyers, not only does it give them a minimum of 56 points to access, but they also give them a database of 500 questions.
The spokeswoman for the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Santa Cruz, Shirley Becerra, stated at a press conference that they are in emergency until the call is rescinded.
“Are the counselors of the magistracy experts? Are the counselors experts in all areas of law to qualify and appoint judges?” asked Shirley Becerra of the Santa Cruz judges.
After knowing the audios of the head of the Judicial Council, Marvin Molina, Speaking of positions with pro-government deputies, he resigned from the presidency and in his place a councilor took office.
The magistrates and judges of Santa Cruz assure that article 195 of the Political Constitution of the State, establishes to evaluate the performance of judges and auxiliary personnel. It means that the career is only for performance evaluation and the appointment by exams and merit contest is for positions with newly created items. The Ministry of Justice opened an investigation after the Marvin Molina audios.
For his part, in Sucre, Marcelo Barrios, from the National Association of Magistrates and Judges of Bolivia, joined the request to issue the call and request the definitive resignation of Marvin Molina.
