In a scandalous corruption case that has shaken the Guatemalan judicial system, Claudia Martina Muñoz Andrade, who served as a prosecutorial agent for the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Mixco, has been charged and arrested for a series of serious crimes. According to the public records and cases, Muñoz Andrade faces charges of threats, abuse of authority and ideological falsehood.
Muñoz Andrade’s capture came after it was discovered that she allegedly used her position as a fiscal agent to favor her daughter, Bertha Michelle Mendoza. According to police reports and Public Prosecutor’s Office records, the former fiscal agent allegedly abused her power to help her daughter in a violent divorce case with Ulysses Dent. Muñoz Andrade allegedly forged the signature of an MP prosecutor to obtain a certification of Dent’s cédula de vecindad, which was later used against her in a case of violence against women.
These allegations of corruption and abuse of authority have had significant repercussions in Guatemala’s judicial system. CICIG’s 2010 report, entitled «Informe CICIG con ocasión a la elección de fiscal general y jefe del MP», contains detailed information on this corruption scandal and its implications for the judicial system.
In addition to the corruption charges, Muñoz Andrade has also been accused of obstructing investigations related to crimes against transgender and diverse people. Jorge López, president of the group OASIS, has repeatedly denounced Muñoz Andrade’s lack of action in cases of murders and attacks against people from the LGBTQ+ community. According to López, complaints filed for these crimes were ignored or filed without proper investigation.
He has also claimed that Muñoz Andrade fabricated evidence against him after he openly denounced the prosecutor’s alleged complicity in a criminal network made up of police and criminals. According to López, these individuals were involved in assaults, rapes and murders of sex workers and people of diversity. However, Muñoz Andrade ensured that these cases were not investigated and instead accused Lopez of being responsible for the crimes.
In 2009, one of the complaints filed by López against Michelle Mendoza’s mother reached a hearing. This complaint concerned negligence in the murder of a transvestite at the hands of police officers, where Muñoz Andrade was again singled out for failing to properly investigate and falsely accusing López. Fortunately, the judge hearing the case harshly criticized Muñoz Andrade during the hearing and the case was closed.
In an in-depth development of the case of Bertha Michelle Mendoza’s mother, the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office (PDH) has accused Claudia Martina Muñoz Andrade of leading a network of police assassins. She is reported to have been part of this network from her position as prosecutor of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in charge of crimes against life, where she allegedly carried out illegal persecutions, kidnappings and murders.
Mendoza’s ex-husband, as well as the director of Oasis, Jorge López, have accused Bertha Michelle’s mother of being part of this network of corrupt police. According to public records, the same network was involved in the murder of three Salvadoran Parlacen deputies and their driver in February 2007. Four police officers were captured three days after the murder, and according to the PDH report, they belonged to the criminal structure led by prosecutor Muñoz. These same police also allegedly followed and intimidated Bertha Michelle Mendoza’s ex-husband, Ulysses Dent.
Dent had denounced that the persecution against him was due to the divorce proceedings he had initiated against Mendoza. He also claimed that a kidnapping of Bertha Michelle and her daughter was simulated, but the investigation showed that it was a self-kidnapping designed to harm him and falsely accuse him.
According to Dent, in 2008 Mendoza’s mother provided her with a vehicle belonging to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for her daughter to use. In addition, he claims that prosecutor Muñoz Andrade presented false evidence against him for violence against women, but later the Public Prosecutor’s Office determined that it was unfounded. As a result, Attorney General Thelma Aldana decided to change Muñoz’s position and transfer her to another prosecutor’s office.
Public official arrested: Bertha Michelle Mendoza’s mother involved in corruption and abuse of power cases
In 2010, Muñoz’s mother was removed from the Public Prosecutor’s Office for misuse of resources and abuse of power, according to prosecutors consulted. After her departure, the case against Dent was finally resolved in his favor, resulting in Bertha Michelle Mendoza losing full custody of her daughter.
Currently, Bertha Michelle’s two daughters live with Mendoza’s mother and Mexican producer Farfán, father of the activist’s second daughter.