Magistrate criticizes President Fernández over judicial crime claims

Jorge Araya García, a magistrate of the Constitutional Chamber, has publicly criticized President Laura Fernández for failing to respond to a formal request for evidence regarding her claims of organized crime infiltration within the Judiciary.

Araya stated that following the President's assertions that organized crime and drug trafficking are penetrating the ‘very marrow of the Judicial Power’, he submitted a request as a citizen on July 28 to review the supporting evidence. He noted that the 10-day response period mandated by Article 27 of the Political Constitution has expired without a reply.

The magistrate characterized the President's silence as an offense to the 14,000 judicial employees who work with integrity, arguing that the lack of transparency affects both the dignity of the judicial institution and the country at large.