PRESS RELEASE 034
LAWYER LINKED TO ILLEGAL ADOPTIONS ARRESTED
Guatemala, May 6, 2011. Susana María de la Asunción Luarca Saracho is charged with leading a network involved in processing illegal adoptions and was arrested at her home located between 3 Calle and 3 Avenida (Zone 10, Guatemala City) in May 2011.
Following an operation conducted at the aforementioned address, the lawyer was arrested at 16.45 by National Civil Police (PNC) officers and prosecutors of the Special Prosecutor's Unit to Support CICIG (UEFAC) and Agency 6 of the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP).
The Fourth Trial Court ordered the arrest of Luarca on charges of criminal association, adoption trafficking and use of false documents. This decision succeeded a ruling of the Third Chamber of the Court of Appeals to revoke the alternative measures that had been awarded to Luarca Saracho. The decision to revoke was based on the risk of flight and interference with the course of justice.
The MP accuses Luarca Saracho of leading a criminal organization that works with the Asociación Primavera to process illegal adoptions. The accused had been released after the aforementioned court awarded her house arrest, issued a ne exeat order and ordered the payment of a GTQ 150,000.00 bail.
However, the MP and the complementary prosecutors, CICIG and Fundación Sobrevivientes, challenged the ruling before the Third Chamber of Appeals, which revoked the alternative measures on April 19. Luarca was transferred to the First on Duty Trial Court.
In the case, lawyer Alma Beatriz Valle Flores was arrested on April 6, following a ruling issued by the Third Chamber of the Court of Appeals for Criminal Matters to revoke the alternative measures.
In these proceedings, seven other people have been prosecuted for their alleged involvement in illegal adoptions.