A court in El Salvador sentenced former President Mauricio Funes to 14 years in prison on Monday for negotiating a truce with gangs to lower the homicide rate in exchange for benefits for their leaders in prisons.
Meanwhile, to his former Security Minister, General David Munguía Payesthe court sentenced him to 18 years.
Funes was facing charges for the crimes of illegal grouping and breach of duty, while General Munguía Payes He was sentenced for the same crimes and was added to that of arbitrary acts.
Funes, 64, thus became the second Salvadoran president convicted of violating the law during his tenure (2009-2014).
The Court argued its failure in the testimonial, expert and documentary evidence that, it assured, verified the commission of the crimes of both defendants when they were officials.
At the conclusion of the trial Munguía Payes stated that there were many irregularities in the process and it was considered “a politician condemned only for having served as former minister of President Funes. They accuse me of a series of accusations that are unfounded.”
funeswho lives in Nicaragua under the protection of the government of President Daniel Ortega who in 2019 granted him nationality to avoid his extradition, was not present at the trial. The ex-president did not name a defense attorney, so one was assigned to him ex officio.
A criminal reform approved in September 2022 allows trials to be held with defendants absent.
Source: AP
Source: Gestion
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