“I only practiced as a lawyer”: Roberto Arana acknowledges employment relationship with Marset, but denies participation in a criminal organization

2023-08-16 17:32:58
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August 16, 2023, 10:44 AM

August 16, 2023, 10:44 AM

The lawyer Roberto Arana Suárez, apprehended on Monday and designated by the Government as one of Sebastián Marset’s trusted men, acknowledged this Wednesday having maintained a working relationship with the Uruguayan fugitivealthough he denied being involved in his criminal organization.

“There is nothing against me. I exercised my work as a lawyer, As I have always done, I am a recognized lawyer in the field”, Arana expressed to the Clave 300 digital medium.

These statements were made from the Palace of Justice, where his hearing for precautionary measures was originally scheduled for this Wednesday morning along with another person involved, Rony Suárez Milliet. However, due to the absence of one of the defendants’ lawyers, the hearing was reprogramada for Thursday, August 17.

According to Minister Eduardo del Castillo, Roberto Arana Suárez occupied the third place in the hierarchy of the structure of the Uruguayan drug trafficker organization. Arana was supposedly in charge of the legal protection of Marset and his close circle.

“Roberto not only had legal power to carry out the procedures for Marset, but also was in charge of buying tickets for the Uruguayan family, not only for the parents, but for their in-laws”, said the minister.

In response, Arana explained: “For signing three transfers, for exercising a power that was given to me by this citizen Marset to carry out procedures at the Uruguayan consulate to obtain his legal passport with his (real) name, because I did not know any of his aka, I find myself drawn into this unfair investigation. I did not have an intimate friendship relationship, at most we played a soccer game once in a while.”

The lawyer expressed his respect for the investigative work of the Bolivian Police and the Public Ministry, but He disagreed with being linked to a criminal organization of drug traffickers.

“I do not agree with the interpretations saying that I am legitimizing because I have houses. I have been practicing my profession for 15 years and I have the right to make my money. I trust in God, I am a man of faith and I am prepared for whatever comes,” he insisted.