Chief of the TSE file unit that denounced electoral fraud and now faces charges, said it is MP retaliation

After several raids carried out on the morning of June 17 by the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI) of the Public Ministry (MP), Angelita Carolina Martínez Rodas, head of the Unit of the General Archive of the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE), was captured, who was arrested in her residence in the capital 3 zone.

Upon arrival at the Tower of Courts, the worker of the electoral entity said that the MP accuses her of abuse of authority and usurpation of duties. However, Martínez says that his capture is a retaliation by the research entity, since he refused to continue as a protected witness. This, as part of a complaint for electoral fraud that she filed before the Public Ministry.

“I no longer came to declare with Judge Orellana. I think that they bring me, forcing me to continue declaring all this, right? What I came and I was part of the protected witness. It is a retaliation, because in my years of working in the Supreme Electoral Court I have never had any conflict,” Martínez said.

Death threats

Angelita Martínez said she filed before the FECI A complaint for electoral fraudwhich is why he declared as a protected witness for several months. However, he said he was a victim of death threats, which is why he stopped providing his statements.

“I imagine it is retaliation. I was a protected witness and refused because they threatened to death and refused to testify. They know that I had death threats and they told me that what they could help me was to leave a place where I didn’t even know where I was,” Martínez said.

Regarding the time he witnessed the FECI, he said that this was during the months of June, July and August 2023. He also assured that another reason why he stopped providing his statements as a “protected witness” was that FECI did not give him any guarantee to protect his safety.

Anomalies in your appointment

As for the reason for your capture, Martínez, who is also general secretary of the TSE Workers Union, He indicated that he is accused of usurpation of duties, due to alleged anomalies in his appointment as head of the file unit.

He assured that at no time was any citation or notified by the Court to be presented to declare or know the reasons for the arrest warrant against him.

Regarding Martínez’s appointment at the head of the Archive Unit, the acting president of the TSE, Blanca Alfaro, who went to the Tower of Courts to express his support, said that his appointment was complying with a court order.

“Well, that was an order of competent judge where we were issued to provide for the position of head of the Archive. It has also been sought – by the MP – a trade on a reasoned vote. There is no reasoned vote in the records of the Supreme Electoral Court in which some position contrary to the order that the judge gave us at the time is manifested,” said Alfaro.

The president of the TSE indicated that during the search in the Court’s Human Resources Unit, the MP sought Martínez’s file. However, this was already in the Prosecutor’s Office for two weeks, so the administrative act where such action consists of.

Suffer from cancer

For his part, Dulce Gabriela Martínez Rodas, daughter of the detainee, said that the capture was unfair, since he was not notified or summoned to appear before the court. He also assured that his mother suffers from cancer, so hold the Public Ministry responsible of any situation that affects your health.

“They detained it unfairly and I want to directly responsible for the Public Ministry if something comes to my mother. Why? Because she has cancer. So, that is a very unfair way: they went to the house, they threw the doors, which I do not consider correct, since every crime carries her process. She is not any criminal and was not hiding of anything,” said Gabriela Martínez, who reiterated that at any time he reiterated that at any time to reach an agreement or notify you about any accusation.

Angelita Martínez’s First Declaration Hearing was scheduled for June 18 by the Seventh Court of Criminal Instance.

It is not protected witness

On the statements made by Martínez where he assures that he was “protected witness”, prosecutor Leonor Morales states that the defendant was no time accepted as a protected witness in the Case corruption.

For his part, Judge Fredy Orellana also questioned the statements of the detainee given to the press and resolved that he remain in the jail of the Tower of Courts to the first statement hearing.

Orellana also clarified that within the file of the case no person appears as a protected witness.