Guatemala prosecutors probe presidential candidate

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Guatemalan prosecutors have launched an investigation into a presidential candidate, six lawmakers and a cabinet minister on suspicion of corruption, the UN-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) said late on Monday.

The Guatemalan attorney general's office and the CICIG said in a joint statement the eight had overseen the approval and distribution of bribes worth 7.5 million U.S. dollars for 62 deputies between 2012-2015 during the administration of former President Otto Perez.

Perez and his former vice president Roxana Baldetti are in prison and are being tried on various corruption charges. Both, who are members of the conservative Patriot Party, deny any wrongdoing.

According to the CICIG, bribes were distributed from Baldetti's office to trusted Patriot Party deputies and were used to secure approval of specific laws and judicial appointments.

All eight people under investigation belonged to the Patriot Party in the last administration.

Estuardo Galdamez is now seeking to succeed President Jimmy Morales as president of Guatemala, representing Morales' conservative National Convergence Front (FCN). Guatemala holds a general election in June.

Galdamez on Tuesday posted a statement on Twitter from the FCN rejecting the accusations.

The CICIG and the attorney general's office said they are also investigating Economy Minister Acisclo Valladares in the case.

(Cover: Demonstrators take part in a march to protest against the decision of Guatemala President Jimmy Morales to end the mandate of the UN-backed anti-graft commission (CICIG), in Guatemala City, January 12, 2019. /Reuters Photo)

Source(s): Reuters