Municipal officials face legal proceedings in Chile, Colombia, and Peru

Several legal proceedings involving municipal officials are underway across South America.

In Chile, Richard Alfonso Godoy Aguirre, the mayor of Pozo Almonte, has been formalized for tax crimes. He is accused of using 45 false invoices through the company EMYC Ltda. between 2016 and 2021, resulting in a fiscal loss exceeding $1.3 billion pesos. The court has imposed national travel restrictions and a monthly signing requirement.

In Colombia, the Attorney General's Office has judicialized Edgar Prada Sterling, the mayor of Acevedo, and Sebastián Silva Peña, the Secretary of Government. They face charges of aggravated sexual harassment against a municipal contractor. The investigation alleges a pattern of verbal and physical misconduct, including intimidation regarding the victim's employment.

In Peru, a judge rejected a request for preventive detention against Javier Ponce Roque, the mayor of Puno, and several others in the ‘Los Mandachitos de la Corrupción’ case. While the defendants will remain free, they are subject to 24 months of judicial restrictions, including prohibitions on leaving the Puno region and communicating with witnesses or co-defendants.