Former legislative leader detained in Guatemala bribe case

Published March 12, 2016

A former leader of Guatemala's Congress has been arrested on charges of trying to bribe a judge.

Wednesday's arrest of Gudy Rivera continues a string of high-profile corruption cases. Ex-President Otto Perez Molina and his Vice President Roxana Baldetti are already behind bars.

Former judge Claudia Escobar accuses Rivera of trying to bribe her to block a court order removing Baldetti as secretary-general of the Patriot Party, to which Rivera belongs.

Escobar voted against Baldetti and was then transferred by judicial authorities. The judge complained of threats and the Inter-American Human Rights Commission ordered that the government take steps to protect her.

Perez Molina and Baldetti face charges of permitting and benefiting from a ring that defrauded the state of millions of dollars.

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