The Public Ministry (MP) confirmed this Wednesday, July 1, the removal of nine prosecutors by order of the attorney general, Gabriel García Luna. Among those dismissed is Gilberto Porres de Paz, husband of former Attorney General María Consuelo Porras, as well as officials who held positions in different specialized prosecutor’s offices.
Among the people removed were also Christian José Aguilar Gálvez, Julio Antonio Lux López, Marlon Rossatti, Lizbeth Janeth Pérez de Paz, Mario Francisco Pérez Zapeta, Ruth Patricia Arrazola González Morales, Marilyn Estefany Estrada Argueta and Donal Demecio Pérez Pérez.
Porres de Paz worked in the Palencia Prosecutor’s Office and was previously deputy prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
Rossatti was a regional prosecutor for the South Coast and was part of the close circle of former Attorney General María Consuelo Porras.
Pérez de Paz headed the Electoral Crimes Prosecutor’s Office. During that position, he promoted investigations related to the minutes of the 2023 general elections and required the identification of the people who made up the municipal, departmental and vote-receiving electoral boards.
Pérez Zapeta was in charge of the Economic Crimes Prosecutor’s Office and was in charge of case B410.
Arrazola González Morales was deputy prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI), directed by Rafael Curruchiche.
Marilyn Estefany Estrada Argueta worked as a tax agent in the Economic Crimes Prosecutor’s Office.
So far, the Public Ministry has only confirmed the removal of the nine prosecutors and has not reported the reasons for the dismissals. The changes are carried out in the midst of a reorganization process after the arrival of Gabriel García Luna as attorney general, replacing María Consuelo Porras Argueta, who directed the institution for two consecutive periods.
Porras Argueta’s administration was questioned by national and international sectors, who accused it of favoring corruption and promoting criminal proceedings against judges, prosecutors and journalists.
Porras Argueta and several prosecutors considered related to his management were sanctioned by the United States and the European Union, under accusations of corruption and undermining democracy in Guatemala.
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