February 19, 2023, 4:02 AM
February 19, 2023, 4:02 AM
José Antonio Mendoza, head of Communication and Press of the political alliance Comunidad Autonómica (CA) in the Municipal Council of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, received four months of preventive detention in the Palmasola prison for alleged irregular charges to municipal officials, a complaint of the mayor’s office There is repudiation of the fiscal measure and members of the municipal executive deny that it is a political revenge for the arrest of Andrea Forfori.
“Arranging that the governor of the rehabilitation center admit the accused in a special establishment open regime PC 4, and must be treated at all times as innocent,” says the arrest warrant signed by Judge Primo Flores.
The precautionary measure hearing began yesterday at 3:00 p.m. at the Palace of Justice. The detainee used his right to remain silent. The Autonomous Community reported that the prosecution of the Public Ministry had not identified the complainants and claimed that this “flagrantly restricts the right to due process.”
On Friday, a police operation was carried out with more than 20 uniformed officers and five patrol cars to apprehend Mendoza, who would also be the right hand of former mayoral candidate Gary Áñez.
Councilor José Alberti questioned the “mega operation” to capture an innocent man. “The accusation is false and crude indicating that this official offered items and they were paid through QR. We tell Jhonny Fernández to stop his hatred of this bench, this is an attack and revenge because we have sent four of his highly corrupt officials to Palmasola and we are going to continue doing it, ”he assured.
The prosecutor’s decision also caused the rejection of the Association of Journalists of Santa Cruz who denounced alleged abuses committed in the arrest, since prior notification would not have been given to the communicator to appear to testify voluntarily.
Prosecutor Róger Mariaca explained that compliance with the arrest warrant was executed for the crimes of benefits due to the charge and concussion. According to the complaint, Mendoza requested an alleged contribution of Bs 300 per month from municipal officials for funds from the Autonomous Community alliance.
In the process, summonses are issued as witnesses for the councilors of CA Marcelo Vidaurre and Juan Carlos Medrano, who must give their informative statement on Wednesday the 22nd at the Departmental Prosecutor’s Office.
Bernardo Montenegro, advisor to the Directorate of Legal Affairs, stated that the complaint was made a long time ago because they found a series of “irregularities” in collections, transfers and use of QR from the CA bank.
“We hope that the Public Ministry obtains the documentation that must be required through the ASFI to establish exactly how many of these interbank transfers have been made. Unfortunately, the councilors are used to saying any barbarity without support, here there is no revenge, ”he clarified, adding that in the Forfori case they are also complainants.
