Titular rapporteurs against Torture in Guatemala are sworn in

Deputies from the ruling party and allied benches gave 111 votes in favor of Castellanos, while 25 did so against and there were 24 absences at the time of electronic registration.

Alfredo Sánchez Chinchilla (128) and Ever Pérez (120) also reached a majority as incumbents, all included in the three lists selected by the Legislative Human Rights Commission for this Tuesday’s election.

Likewise, William Ramírez, Baudilio Portillo and Jennifer A. Aldana remained as alternate rapporteurs.

Media such as the evening newspaper La Hora recalled that Castellanos denounced the former head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption (Feci) in Quetzaltenango Virginia Laparra, who was captured on February 23 and remains in preventive detention awaiting trial for alleged acts of falsehood. testimony, abuse of authority and usurpation of functions.

The Public Ministry maintains that Laparra possibly affirmed false facts and exercised acts on behalf of the judicial entity to file complaints against the togado, a strategy that the lawyer considers as part of the ongoing criminalization against former Feci officials directed by Juan Francisco Sandoval , today in exile.

According to the former Feci, Castellanos denounced her because she accused him of handing over confidential information to a lawyer friend of hers.

The now head rapporteur of the Office against Torture, ran for magistrate of the Court of Appeals in 2019; However, then he was pointed out as not suitable, warned La Hora.

In the document dated September 12 of that year, it is stated that “the candidate has an impediment by virtue of not meeting the requirements of capacity, suitability, honesty and recognized honorability contained in articles 113 and 207 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala”, reviewed the evening paper.

jha/mmc