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A30 world news
Diaranson 20 aPriL 2022

Guatemala’s much-criticized top prosecutor seeks 2nd term

Molina, his vice president details.
and Cabinet members, after Her lack of experience in
perhaps the most high-pro- prosecuting corruption cas- Sandoval said he was fired
file of dozens of probes. Al- es and apparent disinterest because of his investigations
dana received asylum in the made her seem an odd fit, into top officials in Giam-
United States in 2020. Velásquez said. mattei’s administration.

Aldana’s success against Gua- “Not only for her personality, The U.S. government pro-
temala’s systemic corruption but rather for her inability, tested publicly, labelled Por-
had come in conjunction including to directly confront ras an undemocratic actor
with the United Nations- someone,” he said. “I believe undermining efforts against
backed anticorruption mis- that with Morales it was total corruption and pulled her
sion, known by its Span- submission.” visa. A State Department offi-
ish initials CICIG. Over 12 cial said at the time that San-
years, the mission supported As investigations began to doval’s removal “contributes
the Special Prosecutors Of- near Giammattei and his as- to the perception that there
fice Against Impunity in dis- sociates, Porras moved from is a systematic effort in Gua-
(AP) — Once the envy the country’s stalled fight mantling dozens of criminal disinterest to obstruction. temala to weaken those who
of Central America for against corruption. But Por- networks while at the same Prosecutors and others who fight against corruption.”
anticorruption efforts ras, 68, is seeking a second time building their capacity had worked closely with the
that took down a sitting term, one of 15 candidates to handle complex corrup- CICIG became targets them- Giammattei defended Por-
president, Guatemala’s for the post. tion cases. selves. ras, saying the U.S. reaction
attorney general’s office showed a “lack of respect.”
in recent years has been Her path to a second term is In August 2019, a bit more During her term, nearly 20
accused of blocking cor- not completely clear despite than a year after Porras’ ap- prosecutors, judges and mag- Sandoval said she wanted
ruption investigations, her friendship with Giam- pointment, Morales ended istrates have gone into exile, him out of his office. When
protecting powerful in- mattei. Among the other the CICIG’s mission while fearful they will be pros- he used to meet with Porras
terests and even persecut- candidates is Guatemala’s so- he was under investigation. ecuted in retaliation for their in her office, she would take
ing those who pursue the licitor general Luis Donado, Porras, at least publicly, did work on corruption cases. his cellphone to ensure that
corrupt. who is also close to Giam- not push back in defense of he didn’t record whatever she
mattei. the mission. Asked by a reporter this asked him, he said.
Consuelo Porras, who has month if she is protecting the
led the office for the past Porras’ appointment in 2018 Porras, who came to the of- president from investigation, Velásquez, the former CICIG
four years, dismisses the ac- by then-President Jimmy fice with a background in Porras said, “we are all sub- chief, said, “She distrusted
cusations and dodges ques- Morales proved to be an in- constitutional law and as jected to the knowledge of prosecutor Sandoval, but
tions with legal jargon and flection point in her coun- an appellate judge, initially the law; I can’t protect any- even more she was jealous of
recitations of the law. Presi- try’s battle against corrup- spoke glowingly of the ac- one.” (his office’s) work because it
dent Alejandro Giammattei tion. complishment’s of her of- stood out.”
defends her before Guate- fice’s anticorruption work, Last year, she fired Juan Fran-
malans, international orga- She had large shoes to fill. but the people leading those cisco Sandoval, who led the The U.S. has repeatedly
nizations and the U.S. gov- She followed Thelma Aldana, efforts saw little interest on Special Prosecutors Office made Giammattei’s selection
ernment, which suspended who had pressed a number of her part. Against Impunity and who of her replacement an issue.
cooperation with her office high-profile corruption in- had been applauded for his
last year and yanked her visa. vestigations including ones When she took office, Por- work. Mario Búcaro, Guatemala’s
against Morales while he was ras delayed meeting with foreign affairs minister, de-
In the coming days, Giam- president and some of his Iván Velásquez, a Colombian Sandoval fled Guatemala clined to speak about specific
mattei must choose Guate- relatives and associates. lawyer and the CICIG’s last under cover of darkness to U.S. petitions, but confirmed
mala’s next attorney general, chief. She did anything to neighboring El Salvador just that the issue of the new top
a closely watched decision Aldana had already made a avoid a conversation, he said. hours after his removal. Por- prosecutor has come up in
that observers say gives him name for herself by jailing “That was already a very bad ras had vaguely accused him meetings with U.S. officials.
an opportunity to reanimate former President Otto Pérez sign.” of “abuses” without giving

South Africa launches relief for Durban flooding; 448 dead

(AP) — Declaring a na- deployed 10,000 troops in saster in a televised address after widespread graft was Minister Zweli Mkhize re-
tional state of disaster, Operation Chariot to help Monday night, Ramaphosa uncovered by the state’s signed after the investigation
South Africa has allocated with continuing search and pledged that government Special Investigating Unit found that businesses linked
$67 million to help those rescue efforts, deliver food, funds for the flood victims in state funds that were sup- to his family benefited from
hit by floods that have water, and clothing to flood will not be lost to corruption. posed to help the nation re- inflated COVID-19 contracts
killed at least 448 people victims, and rebuild col- spond to the COVID-19 from his department.
in the eastern city of Dur- lapsed roads and bridges. Wa- “There can be no room for pandemic. Former Health
ban and the surrounding ter tankers have been sent to corruption, mismanagement
KwaZulu-Natal province. areas where access to clean or fraud of any sort,” said Ra-
water has been disrupted and maphosa.
Nearly 4,000 homes have teams are working to restore
been destroyed and more electricity to large areas. “Learning from the expe-
than 40,000 people displaced rience of the COVID-19
by the floods and mudslides Students shoveled mud out pandemic, we are drawing
caused by prolonged heavy of some schools that had together various stakehold-
rains, provincial officials been flooded. ers to be part of an oversight
said Tuesday. More than 40 structure to ensure all funds
people remain missing and Visiting some of the flooded disbursed to respond to this
about 600 schools have been areas last week, South African disaster are properly ac-
hit with damages estimated at President Cyril Ramophosa counted for and that the state
about $28 million, according blamed climate change for receives value for money,” he
to officials. the unprecedented rains, the said.
heaviest in at least 60 years.
South Africa’s military has Announcing the state of di- Ramaphosa’s remarks come