Guatemalan journalist’s former lawyer accepts charges for fear of an unfair trial

2023-06-03 00:03:11

Guatemala City, June 2 (EFE).- Lawyer Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa, former defender of journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, accepted this Friday the charges that the Public Ministry (MP, Prosecutor’s Office) pointed out against him because in his opinion he will not have a “fair trial”.

“I have not committed any crime but I accept charges to continue fighting against this corrupt system,” said Solorzano Foppa, prior to a hearing against him in an appeals chamber of the Guatemalan Judiciary.

The lawyer has been in prison since April 20, when the Prosecutor’s Office accused him of an alleged “obstruction of criminal action” within the process that is taking place against Zamora Marroquín.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Foppa together with Juan Carlos Marroquín Godoy and the lawyer Justino Brito Torres allegedly “conspired” to justify an “irregular” contract of 25,000 dollars (about 23,000 euros) linked to the journalist.

Zamora Marroquín was captured at his home on July 29, 2022, just five days after launching strong criticisms of corruption against Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei and his inner circle.

The journalist, founder of the investigative outlet El Periódico and awarded by the King of Spain for his work, is facing an alleged case of money laundering and a court will announce its verdict on June 14.

“This justice system is rotten,” said Foppa, pointing to the Prosecutor’s Office and some judges preparing cases to criminalize lawyers and journalists.

During the criminal proceedings against him, Zamora Marroquín has had to change lawyers seven times and four of them have been accused of obstruction of justice by the Prosecutor’s Office.

The journalist has repeatedly denounced violations of his right to defense and claims to be a “political prisoner.”

The Guatemalan Prosecutor’s Office asked the court in charge of the oral and public debate that Zamora Marroquín receive 40 years in prison for the crimes of money laundering, blackmail and influence peddling.

Since 2018, more than 30 lawyers, prosecutors, judges and journalists who denounced corruption in the Central American country have gone into exile, citing political persecution against them.

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