El Periódico demands an immediate end to the political persecution against it and the independent press in Guatemala. | Photo: El Periódico
Guatemala City, August 21 (RHC)-- Guatemalan police arrested a director of the opposition newspaper El Periódico, whose head José Ruben Zamora is in prison and accused of money laundering after denouncing corruption in the government, the Public Prosecutor's Office reported on Saturday.
Flora Silva, financial manager of El Periódico, who was captured after a raid on her home, was taken to the San Juan de Dios General Hospital for a medical evaluation. In a statement, the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) indicated that Silva is charged with conspiracy to commit the crime of laundering money or other assets.
Zamora, who considers himself a "politically persecuted person," was arrested at the end of July and last week was indicted for possibly committing the crimes of influence peddling, blackmail and money laundering.
For its part, El Periódico stressed in a press release that the arrest of its employee is "yet another example of the systematic attacks and judicial persecution without legal grounds" against the media outlet.
"El Periódico demands an immediate end to the political persecution against it and the independent press in Guatemala, as a result of its critical work against the arbitrary actions of the regime of Alejandro Giammattei."
