Unanimously, the plenary session of the National Board of Justice (JNJ) ratified the dismissal of Patricia Benavides Vargas of the position of prosecutor of the Nation. The decision is based on the irregularities and disciplinary offenses previously identified, among them the possible interference in the investigation of his sister, Enma Benavides, as well as the alleged favoring of Miguel Vegas Vaccaro by appointing him as provisional supreme deputy prosecutor, despite the fact that he had disciplinary sanctions against him.
“Unanimously declare unfounded in all its aspects the appeal for reconsideration of the former supreme prosecutor Liz Patricia Benavides Vargas,” said the president of the National Board of Justice, Antonio De la Haza. With this decision, the Board of Supreme Prosecutors must proceed to the election of a new prosecutor of the Nationwho will hold the position for the next three years. This is because Juan Carlos Villena occupies the position on an interim basismaking it necessary to appoint a definitive head to assume the responsibilities of the Public Ministry in this key period.
Likewise, within the same session, the plenary session of the JNJ also evaluated the requests for reconsideration of Azucena Solari and Enma Benavides. Unanimously, the plenary session declared the reconsideration appeal presented by former prosecutor Azucena Solari unfounded. However, In the case of Judge Enma Benavides, the vote resulted in a tie with 3 votes in favor and 3 against, being President De la Haza, who determined the result by reaffirming your vote against from the sister of the former National Prosecutor, Patricia Benavides. Finally, the dismissal of the three former judges was confirmed.
This was the vote on Patricia Benavides’ request for reconsideration
The plenary session of the National Board of Justice was made up of the presidentAntonio de la Haza BarrantesImelda Tumialán as speaker, as well as Guillermo Thomberry, Maria Zavala, Marco Falconi and Aldo Vásquez.
In the presentation by counselor Imelda Tumialán, it was pointed out that Patricia Benavides intervened in the investigations against her sisters. Such as remove Supreme Deputy Prosecutor Bersabeth Revillawho had investigated Miguel Vegas Vaccaro for alleged corruption, and placed her under his subordination. In addition, he favored Vegas Vaccaro by appointing him to the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office Specialized in Crimes Committed by Officials. These facts support the decision appealed by the former prosecutor, and that the sanction imposed “are consistent and consistent with law and justice,” said Tumialán. His vote was that the three reconsiderations be considered unfounded.
In the case of Guillermo Thomberry, he voted to declare the reconsideration appeals of Patricia Benavides and Azucena Solari unfounded, but voted in favor of Judge Enma Benavides’ appeal. While María Zavala considered the three appeals presented unfounded.
Marco Falconi and Aldo Vásquez had a decision similar to that of Thomberry and voted in favor of rejecting the appeals of former prosecutors Benavides and Solari, although they showed their disagreement with Imelda Tumialán and appealed to declare the request of Patricia Benavides’ sister founded. Nevertheless, The final decision was made by Antonio de la Haza and it was one vote away from Enma Benavides being restored.
