JUDGE VERÓNICA GALICIA BLOCKS DISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATION AGAINST HER

Guatemala, October 1, 2012. Judge Verónica del Rosario Galicia Marroquín has prevented, for a fourth time, a procedural hearing from being held to determine whether she committed disciplinary offences through her actions in the Fraijanes II and Maskana cases. The judge is alleged to have breached her constitutional and legal obligations in these cases and the hearing would form part of an investigation ordered by the Board of Judicial Discipline (JDJ).

The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) lodged a complaint before the JDJ on September 6, 2011 on the grounds that that Galicia Marroquín revealed fundamental aspects of the investigation—the judge responsible for investigations must always guarantee the confidentiality of an investigation. Furthermore, the judge questioned the actions of the parties to proceedings.

The JDJ programmed the first hearing last February to receive evidence and establish the judge's responsibility in the case. The judge took legal action. However, it was flawed and hence dismissed. Therefore, Galicia Marroquín appealed before the board of the Council of the Judicial Service, which ordered that disciplinary investigations continue.

Since then, the judge has continued to file appeals to prevent the aforementioned hearing from taking place. The fourth proceeding was set to take place on September 27; however, Galicia Marroquín appealed the disciplinary board's ruling once more.

The actions taken by the judge constitute abuse of law, because, even though she alleged that she should be heard and tried, she has sought to prevent proceedings from being held. The judge could also be interfering with the course of justice through the series of proceedings she has brought with the sole aim of impeding the hearing.