Guatemala court: Candidate remains immune from prosecution

GUATEMALA CITY – Guatemala’s supreme court has decided presidential candidate Sandra Torres Casanova will keep her legal immunity in spite of prosecutors’ allegations of possible illegal campaign finance violations in 2015.

Court spokesman Mario Siekavizza said Wednesday that the court did not find sufficient evidence to intervene.

Prosecutors announced Feb. 6 that their investigation together with the United Nations-sponsored anti-corruption commission had found that while Torres was head of the National Unity of Hope party, companies funneled contributions of $2.5 million that were not reported to electoral authorities.

Prosecutors are investigating Torres for the possible crimes of illicit association, perjury, illicit and unreported electoral financing and tax fraud.

Torres previously ran unsuccessfully for president in 2015. She has called the probe a political attack.