COURT UPHOLDS PRE-TRIAL DETENTION OF ARÉVALO LACS

Guatemala, April 14, 2011. In the trial of former President Alfonso Portillo Cabrera and two of his former officials (the former Minister of Defense, Eduardo Arévalo Lacs, and the former Minister of Finance, Manuel Hiram Maza Castellanos) in relation to the misappropriation of GTQ 120 million, the Eleventh Trial Court upheld the decision to remand Eduardo Arévalo Lacs in custody, dismissing the appeal for review filed by his defense counsel.

The Court argued that the matter had already been ruled on and that alternative measures had been granted. The Court indicated that the First Chamber of Criminal Appeals had dismissed the request and provisionally accepted the amparo appeal of the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) and CICIG.

The Court stated that until the above-mentioned chamber reached a final decision regarding the accused, it would be unable to rule on the latest request made by the defense counsel of Arévalo Lacs.