Guatemala
In less than six months, the prison system has denounced two directors of the same prison for allegedly collaborating with the inmates.
In the Pavoncito prison, leads of the Mara Salvatrucha are held, and in that prison several two -level apartments were built without authorization, according to the penitentiary system. (PHOTO FREE PRESS: PL hemeroteca)
The General Directorate of the Penitentiary System (SP) filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) against Mario Rolando Tax Charu, director of the Preventive Detention Center for men “Constitutional reinstatement”, known as Pavoncito, for allegedly collaborating with members of the Mara Salvatrucha gang.
According to the SP, there is a video that shows Tax receiving money from prisoners in exchange for supposed favors. The complaint indicates that the official could have incurred the crimes of extortion and breach of duties.
The facts denounced are documented in Report No. 189-2025-IGRP-AI, dated March 5, 2025. The SP warcted that Tax could be responsible for the illicit that occur within the prison center.
It is not the first time that irregularities are denounced in turkey. On November 20, 2024, the SP filed another complaint against the director, the deputy director and several wardens of the prison for allegedly allowing the construction of two -level apartments for the leaders of said gang held in that center.
Five days later, the Minister of the Interior, Francisco Jiménez, announced the dismissal of the penitentiary authorities involved.
Apartments for leaders
A Public Ministry investigator indicated that some of the buildings were still in gray work, but others already had luxurious finishes. In the videos obtained by the authorities, stands are observed with wooden finishes, bathrooms with ceramic floors, refrigerators, flat screen televisions and framed pictures.
The apartments included a room, dining room and kitchen on the first level, while on the second floor was the main bedroom.
The SP said that these constructions were not authorized and suspects that prefabricated materials entered the prison with the collaboration of guards of the prison system.