Zamora has been in prison for 10 months.

The Guatemalan Public Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday called for a 40-year prison sentence for a newspaper owner critical of the government in a controversial money-laundering trial condemned by the press union.

Prosecutor Cynthia Monterroso has sentenced José Rubén Zamora, the owner of the now-defunct newspaper El Periodico, to 10 months in prison in a case that prompted accusations of attacks on free expression. made this request in a trial that began 28 days ago against

Monterosso sought 20 years in prison for money laundering, eight years for extortion and 12 years for spreading influence. All penalties are maximums considered under local law.

Prosecutors allege Zamora attempted to launder approximately $37,500 worth of money from businessmen of “illegal origin” and “the product of extortion and extortion.”

“Without nutrition”

“We have investigated the allegations and they are all baseless,” Zamora told reporters during a break in the hearing.

He added that the demands were “funny” and that he would challenge the inter-American justice system if convicted.

Judge Olly González will have to set a date on which judgment will be handed down.

Zamora, 66, was arrested at the end of July last year on suspicion of a money laundering scheme.

Prosecutors allege the money came from “blackmail” to keep the businessmen from releasing information unfavorable to them. Zamora claims most of the cash seized came from the sale of artwork to finance his medium, and that his arrest exacerbated the economic crisis.

The journalist accused President Alejandro Giammattei and US Attorney General Consuelo Porras of fabricating the incident to silence the president over corrupt government publications.

The newspaper, founded by Zamora in 1996, closed on May 15 after denouncing “criminal persecution and economic pressure”. By December, the paper publication had already ceased and only the digital version was maintained.

Eight of the newspaper’s journalists and columnists are also being investigated in separate proceedings to bring justice to Zamora, who has been accused of attempting to obstruct a money laundering investigation.

Some communicators, including the media’s director Julia Corrado, have opted for exile.

Political analyst and anti-corruption activist Manfredo Marroquin criticized on Twitter: “Public ministry demands 40 years in prison for journalist José Rubén Zamora, while corrupt governance is easy.”

wave of arrests

Zamora’s arrest comes amid the arrests of several former prosecutors investigating a notorious corruption case. All were indicted on charges of abuse of power.

In the most recent example, former Guatemalan anti-corruption prosecutor Stuardo Campo was arrested on Friday, but he regretted being detained on a “false” charge of “abuse of power and breach of duty.” was

Campo accused the Terrorism Foundation, a right-wing organization that has “systematically devoted itself to the persecution of judicial officials” and plaintiff in several cases, including the trial against Zamora.