PASSPORT FORGERS SENT TO PRISON
27 arrests in total

Guatemala, February 4, 2014. High-Risk Court B ruled to prosecute and remand in custody 12 of the 25 individuals alleged to form part of a criminal structure involved in helping citizens of diverse nationalities obtain forged Guatemalan passports in order to enter, depart and move within Guatemala.

After analysing the evidence, Judge Miguel Ángel Gálvez ruled to prosecute and remand in custody 12 of the arrested individuals. The others were granted alternative measures such as ne exeat orders, house arrest or the obligation to sign an attendance book.

The imprisoned individuals are:

1. Arnoldo de Jesús Miranda Fuentes, Secretary General of the Workers' Union of the General Directorate of Migration (DGM). Miranda Fuentes is the alleged ringleader of the criminal structure and he was remanded on charges of criminal association and illegal transportation of persons.
2. Carlos Ovidio Blanco Guzmán, DGM official at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City). Blanco Guzmán is charged with criminal association, illegal transportation of persons, falsification of documents and falsification of facts.
3. José Alberto Caniz Valenzuela, DGM official at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City). Caniz Valenzuela is charged with criminal association and illegal transportation of persons.
4. Omar Osberto Cifuentes Lazo, DGM official at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City). Cifuentes Lazo is charged with criminal association, illegal entry of persons and illegal transport of individuals.
5. Celeste Suseth Aquino Mejía, DGM official at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City). Aquino Mejía is charged with criminal association and illegal entry of persons.
6. Mario Roberto García Portillo, DGM official at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City). García Portillo is charged with criminal association and illegal entry of persons.
7. Edgar Francisco García Meléndez is charged with criminal association, falsification of documents and falsification of facts.
8. Roberto Eduardo Cozano Celis, DGM official at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City). Cozano Celis is charged with criminal association, falsification of documents and falsification of facts.
9. Sanddy Aracely Palma Osorio, DGM official at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City). Palma Osorio is charged with criminal association, falsification of documents and falsification of facts.
10. Rosa María Yala Golón (intermediary agent).
11. Veer Singh (intermediary agent).
12. Julio Wilfredo Lux Ayala (intermediary agent).

These individuals (9 to 12) were charged with criminal association and illegal transportation of persons.

Alternative measures:

13. Rafael Rivas Olmin, official of the DGM Passport Issuing Authorities, is charged with criminal association and illegal transportation of persons.
14. Verónica Ixmucané Bonilla Marroquín, DGM delegate at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City).
15. Santos Bocanegra Morales, DGM delegate at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City).
16. Iris Vanessa Marín Sierra, DGM delegate at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City).
17. Gloria Estela Alvizures Palencia, DGM delegate at La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City).

These individuals (14 to 17) were charged with illegal entry of persons.

The following individuals (18 to 25), who also received alternative measures, were charged with falsification of documents and falsification of facts.

18. Wendy Janneth Botello Díaz, Civil Registrar of the National Registry of Persons (RENAP).
19. Fabio Alexis Arévalo, assistant of the RENAP registry.
20. Sara Luz Borja Vásquez, assistant of the RENAP registry.
21. Linda Celeste Galindo del Cid, assistant of the RENAP registry.
22. Julio César de Paz Machuca, former RENAP employee.
23. Henry Zepeda Álvarez, former RENAP employee.
24. Boris Asmavet Cabrera de Matta, former RENAP employee
25. Milton Danilo Mendizábal Ardón, former RENAP employee.

Awaiting initial appearance

26. Pablo Alfonso Ralón Molina (a former RENAP employee) was arrested on February 3, 2014 at Kilometer 21 of the highway Ruta al Atlántico. Ralón Molina is charged with abuse of authority, falsification of documents, falsification of facts and criminal association.
27. Carlos Dagoberto González Escobar (a former RENAP employee) was arrested in Puerto Barrios, Izabal on January 28, 2014. González Escobar is charged with abuse of authority, falsification of documents and criminal association.

Background
The Special Anti-Impunity Prosecutor's Bureau (FECI) of the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP), with CICIG support, initiated an investigation to define, dismantle and prosecute a criminal structure comprised of officials of the General Directorate of Migration (DGM), the National Registry of Persons (RENAP), and the Corporación Inmobiliaria La Luz S.A. as well as lawyers and intermediary agents.

In this case, José Alberto de León Gramajo (Head of the passport delegation of the DGM Passport Issuing Authorities), and José Antonio Samayoa Cano (former representative of the Corporación Inmobiliaria La Luz S.A.), and Mirna María de Los Ángeles Rivas Gramajo (former DGM delegate) are already being prosecuted. They were all arrested in August 2013.