El Salvador: Former President and Nine Ex-Officials Face Charges of Illicit Enrichment and Money Laundering
Prosecutors Announce Charges Against Former El Salvador Leaders
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — In a significant development in El Salvador’s ongoing corruption case, prosecutors announced on Sunday that they have formally charged former President Salvador Sánchez Cerén and nine other former officials with illicit enrichment and money laundering.
Allegations of Corruption and Suspicious Financial Transactions
According to Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado, the former leaders are alleged to have engaged in acts of corruption during their time in office, amassing substantial wealth disproportionate to their legitimate income. Delgado accused them of using public resources for personal gain and outlined several instances of suspicious financial transactions. He noted that investigations were ongoing.
Arnoldo Calvo and Others Charged
- Former Minister of Agriculture, Arnoldo Calvo, was among those charged.
- Calvo is accused of embezzling public funds and money laundering.
Other Charged Officials
- Details about the other charged officials and their alleged crimes will be updated as the investigation progresses.
Former President Salvador Sánchez Cerén’s Warrant and Current Whereabouts Unknown
The arrest warrant for Sánchez Cerén, who served as president from 2014 to 2019, was issued in July 2021, and warrants for the other officials followed shortly thereafter. Sánchez Cerén, a former professor and farmer, has yet to be located and is believed to be outside the country. The former officials have not yet responded to the allegations publicly.
International Efforts to Address Corruption in El Salvador
The charges against the former leaders mark a significant turning point in El Salvador’s ongoing anti-corruption efforts. The Central American country has grappled with endemic corruption for decades, with billions of dollars in public funds allegedly siphoned off through various schemes. In recent years, international organizations and civil society groups have stepped up pressure on the government to address the issue:
- Last month, the United States Department of Justice announced the seizure of over $2 million in assets linked to Mauricio Funes, another former president of El Salvador who currently resides in Nicaragua. Funes has previously been indicted on similar charges of embezzlement and money laundering and is the subject of an Interpol red notice.
Transparency International Ranks El Salvador 140th in Corruption Perceptions Index
Transparency International ranked El Salvador 140th out of 180 countries surveyed in its most recent corruption perceptions index. Corruption remains a major challenge in El Salvador.
El Salvador’s Anti-Corruption Efforts Set to Take Center Stage
The investigation into El Salvador’s former leaders is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming days and weeks. As El Salvador’s anti-corruption efforts take center stage once again, the public hopes for transparency in addressing the root of the problem and bringing justice to those impacted by the corruption.