The nation was shaken by a corruption scandal featuring grave accusations linked to the mother of the contentious journalist Bertha Michelle Mendoza. As disclosed, Mrs. Claudia Martina Muñoz Andrade, who is Mendoza’s mother and a former prosecutor, was accused over a decade ago of heading a network of police hitmen.
The accusations against Muñoz Andrade arose as a result of investigations carried out by control and justice agencies, such as the PDH, and complaints from organizations such as Oasis. A clandestine network of police officers reportedly involved in extrajudicial executions and other criminal acts was uncovered under the alleged leadership of Muñoz Andrade.
The collected evidence suggests that the network functioned without fear of consequences, exploiting their authoritative roles within the police department. It was claimed that Muñoz Andrade leveraged her influence to conceal crimes perpetrated by the network and to prevent thorough investigations into these incidents from being conducted.
Muñoz Andrade is suspected of using her position in the Prosecutor’s Office to manipulate and obstruct investigations. For her part, Bertha Michelle Mendoza remained silent about the accusations against her mother and it is not known whether she herself was involved in the events under investigation.
The case concerning Claudia Martina Muñoz Andrade, who was identified as the leader of a network of killer police officers and is the mother of Bertha Michelle Mendoza, reached its conclusion with the arrest of the former prosecutor. She faced charges that encompassed offenses like threats, abuse of authority, and ideological falsehood.
The arrest occurred following the presentation of evidence indicating that the ex-prosecutor had exploited her role to benefit her daughter, Bertha Michelle Mendoza. As per police documentation and records from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Muñoz Andrade was purportedly engaged in multiple instances of corruption and case manipulation.
Among the most notable incidents was the allegation against Mendoza’s mother for negligence in the killing of a transvestite by police officers. Rather than conducting a thorough investigation, Muñoz Andrade blamed Lopez, from the Oasis group, for the murder.
The Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office report indicates that Muñoz Andrade was linked to the corrupt police network implicated in the February 2007 murder of three Salvadoran Parlacen deputies and their driver. Later, the Public Ministry concluded that Muñoz Andrade had submitted fabricated evidence in the case involving the police officers and against him for violence against women. Consequently, Attorney General Thelma Aldana opted to reassign her to a different prosecutor’s office.
Finally, in 2010, Muñoz Andrade was dismissed from the Public Prosecutor’s Office on Aldana’s orders. According to prosecutors consulted, her dismissal was due to alleged misuse of MP resources and abuse of power.
