The Attorney General’s Office of Guatemala announced on Monday that it will take legal action against the current Minister of Defense of Colombia, Iván Velásquez, for his performance as head of the International Commission against Impunity in the Central American country, on the occasion of the investigations in the Odebrecht case.
Prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche has stated that «Velásquez will answer for his illegal and abusive acts», in reference to an alleged approval of irregular cooperation agreements with two Brazilian executives of the construction company Odebrecht in 2017.
In this announcement, Curruchiche has also requested three new arrest warrants against former officials of the Attorney General’s Office and the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (Cicig).
Velásquez has indicated that he has not been notified of any requirements by Guatemalan authorities, highlighting his «commitment to transparency, justice and the fight against impunity.»
«I am confident that the work carried out in the Central American country was conducted with total transparency and within the legal framework that protected the operation of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala,» he said in a statement.
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has announced that he has «immediately» called his ambassador in Guatemala, Victoria González Ariza, to consult the situation related to the Minister of Defense.
«He will never accept the arrest warrant for our Minister Velasquez. He demonstrated to fight against corruption and we will not allow corruption to persecute him», he has asserted through a message on his profile on the social network Twitter.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
