by the El Reportero’s wire services
A total of 708 cases of child abuse were reported so far in Guatemala by the Judicial Organization, said the newspaper La Hora on its website.
In 2009, when the crime ‘Abuse against minors’ was included in the ‘Law against sexual violence, exploitation and human trafficking’, 26 cases were presented to the various jurisdictional institutions.
Norma Ramirez, attorney from the department of Children and Teenagers of the Public Ministry, said in a communiqué that one of the reasons leading to increased reports is that the people’s awareness has risen compared to previous years.
Ramirez also said that the staff of the Attorney Office for Children and Teenagers must be increased due to the high amount of reports received daily.
Guatemala has two agencies and eight attorney assistants to investigate child abuse, empowered only to handle cases of the capital city’s municipalities.
The attorney office said that in 85 percent of the cases the offender is one of the parents or someone very close to the family.
Peru: investigation into former president opened
Five ministers of former President of Peru Alan Garcia´s cabinet will be questioned by the attorney´s office, as part of an investigation for corruption into García, while difficulties prevail to extradite former President Alejandro Toledo.
According to sources from the Public Ministry quoted by the local media, the summonses include four junior officials of the latest management of García (2006-2011), during the investigation into the tender of the electric train in Lima.
The tender for the project was given to Brazilian company Odebrecht, with which Garcia had free-flowing ties, that admitted briberies during the management of García, as well as Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006) and Ollanta Humala (2011-2016).
The nine former officials from the Garcia´s management were summoned as witnesses, while former minister of Transportation Jorge Cuba and other junior officials remain in prevention detention as they were pointed by Odebrecht as the recipients of part of the bribery ($8 million USD) given for the aforementioned project.
Meanwhile, Rafael Vela, coordinator attorney for Money Laundering, expressed concern about the delay of Judge Abel Concha, who has not presented at the United States justice a warrant arrest for former president Toledo.
Guatemala court orders ex governor sent back to Mexico to face charges he denies
Extradition ordered, Duarte coming home Guatemala court orders he be sent back to Mexico to face charges he denies
A court in Guatemala yesterday ordered the extradition of Javier Duarte to face charges of embezzlement and ties to organized crime.
The former Veracruz governor attended his third hearing yesterday in Guatemala City, this one for federal charges, where he denied them all and agreed to be extradited to Mexico.
Mexican authorities expect he will be sent back in two weeks.
Duarte’s attorney, Carlos Velázquez, said his client agreed to face the charges in order to get to the truth. He said Duarte was the victim of political persecution.
Yesterday’s was the second of two hearings to review the evidence against the former governor, suspected of embezzling billions of pesos. Duarte also agreed to extradition at the first hearing, which heard evidence from state of Veracruz prosecutors.
Evidence was given at the hearings showing he had set up shell companies, made dodgy real estate deals and bought a yacht in the United States.
“I did not commit these crimes and I wish to prove so before the judicial authorities in my country,” Duarte said.
