This Tuesday, July 21, the High Risk Court A sentenced Judith Celina Vargas Monroy, sister-in-law of former presidential candidate Manuel Baldizón, to six years of incommutable prison after finding her guilty of the crime of illicit association within the Odebrecht case, an investigation that also linked the politician to an alleged structure dedicated to the collection and administration of bribes.
The sentence was handed down unanimously during the hearing held on July 21. In addition to imposing the prison sentence, the court suspended Vargas Monroy’s civil rights for the duration of the sentence and exempted her from paying procedural costs.
The judges scheduled the dignified reparation hearing for Friday, July 24, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., while the full reading of the sentence was set for July 28, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Likewise, they informed the parties of their right to appeal the ruling within the period established by law.
According to the Public Ministry (MP) accusation, Vargas Monroy was part of a structure that would have received bribes from the Brazilian construction company Norberto Odebrecht in exchange for the awarding of contracts for the construction of roads in Guatemala.
According to the investigation, the organization created several companies to capture and manage funds from these illicit payments. The Prosecutor’s Office maintains that Vargas Monroy carried out administration, coordination and recruitment functions of people who were later used as legal representatives of companies allegedly linked to Manuel Baldizón.
The MP also affirms that these people were conditioned to appear as legal representatives of the entities supposedly used by the former presidential candidate.
Statements during the trial
The trial began on July 6 before the High Risk Court A. During the debate, several witnesses proposed by the Public Ministry testified.
Among them was a man who reported having been hired as an accounting assistant and who subsequently signed the articles of incorporation of a company in which he was named legal representative, although, according to the investigation, he did not know the true purpose of that company.
This testimony is part of the evidence presented by the Prosecutor’s Office to maintain that the structure used commercial companies and third parties to manage resources from the alleged bribes paid by Odebrecht.
The Odebrecht case
The investigation into the Odebrecht case indicates that the Brazilian construction company would have delivered millionaire bribes in different Latin American countries to obtain public works contracts.
In Guatemala, investigations by the Public Ministry establish that part of these resources would have been channeled through a structure made up of several people and companies, including Judith Celina Vargas Monroy, now convicted of illicit association.
The case also linked Manuel Baldizón, who was accused by the Public Ministry of having used commercial companies allegedly related to the receipt and administration of illicit funds derived from these bribes. However, the sentence handed down this Tuesday corresponds only to Vargas Monroy.
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