MARÍA DEL ROSARIO MELGAR MARTÍNEZ ARRESTED, ACCUSED IN RIVERA AND EL INFIERNITO CASES

Guatemala, October 30, 2012. The authorities arrested María del Rosario Melgar Martínez at La Aurora Airport, Guatemala City, after she arrived in the country following deportation from the United States. The Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) and CICIG accuse Melgar Martínez of being involved in the murder of Víctor Rivera, who was her boss and a former Minister of the Interior advisor. The murder took place in 2008 on the road Vista Hermosa Boulevard (Zone 15, Guatemala City).

Melgar Martínez was transferred to the Torre de Tribunales, the seat of the Judiciary (OJ), where the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) and CICIG will file charges before a supervisory judge. The charges include criminal association and murder in the Rivera case; and extrajudicial killing in the El Infiernito prison case (2005, murder of Edwin Estuardo Santacruz Rodríguez [Río Hondo, Zacapa]).

Melgar Martínez was illegally residing in the United States at the time of her arrest. Since 2011, she has been the subject of an international arrest warrant.

The initial appearance was scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday, October 30).