A court in Guatemala says an arrest warrant has been issued for a former Guatemalan prosecutor who is running for president.

But because Thelma Aldana was formally registered Tuesday by the election board as a candidate in the June elections, under Guatemalan law she has immunity from prosecution.

Aldana was nominated by the Seed Movement party and is running second in polls.

A spokeswoman for Guatemala's Supreme Court says the warrant against Aldana is related to a corruption investigation involving illegal hiring.

Sixty-three-year-old Thelma Aldana was Guatemala's top prosecutor from 2014 to 2018. During that time, she jailed then-President Otto Perez Molina and most of his Cabinet on corruption charges. Perez Molina resigned in 2015. </s> GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - A Guatemalan court said Tuesday that an arrest warrant has been issued for a former Guatemalan prosecutor who is running for president.

But because Thelma Aldana was formally registered Tuesday by the election board as a candidate in the June elections, under Guatemalan law she has immunity from prosecution.

Aldana was nominated by the Seed Movement party and is running second in polls.

A spokeswoman for Guatemala's Supreme Court said the warrant against Aldana is related to a corruption investigation involving illegal hiring.

Aldana, 63, was Guatemala's top prosecutor from 2014 to 2018. During that time, she jailed then-President Otto Perez Molina and most of his Cabinet on corruption charges. Perez Molina resigned in 2015.

Thelma Aldana, Guatemala's former chief prosecutor, listens to a journalist's question as she gives a press conference during her campaign event for president in Guatemala City, Sunday, March 10, 2019. Aldana is a candidate with The Seed Movement party ahead of June 16 presidential elections. (AP Photo/Oliver de Ros) </s> GUATEMALA CITY — A Guatemalan court said Tuesday that an arrest warrant has been issued for a former Guatemalan prosecutor who is running for president.

But because Thelma Aldana was formally registered Tuesday by the election board as a candidate in the June elections, under Guatemalan law she has immunity from prosecution.

Aldana was nominated by the Seed Movement party and is running second in polls.

A spokeswoman for Guatemala’s Supreme Court said the warrant against Aldana is related to a corruption investigation involving illegal hiring.

Aldana, 63, was Guatemala’s top prosecutor from 2014 to 2018. During that time, she jailed then-President Otto Perez Molina and most of his Cabinet on corruption charges. Perez Molina resigned in 2015.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> Guatemala's top electoral court has accepted three challenges to the presidential candidacy of former chief prosecutor Thelma Aldana, at least temporarily leaving her outside the race.

Jorge Mario Valenzuela, one of the Supreme Electoral Court judges who voted against Aldana, says one of the challenges alleged that Aldana did not have a certification from the comptroller's office indicating that her public accounts were all settled. The certificate is a requirement of candidates.

When Aldana registered her candidacy she had the certificate, but when the court later asked the comptroller it was told the document was expired.

Aldana could still appeal the decision. The challenges were brought by political rivals. </s> GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A Guatemalan court said Tuesday that an arrest warrant has been issued for a former Guatemalan prosecutor who is running for president.

But because Thelma Aldana was formally registered Tuesday by the election board as a candidate in the June elections, under Guatemalan law she has immunity from prosecution.

Aldana was nominated by the Seed Movement party and is running second in polls.

A spokeswoman for Guatemala’s Supreme Court said the warrant against Aldana is related to a corruption investigation. The warrant was issued Monday alleging a form of embezzlement, but authorities have not provided specific details of the charges.

Aldana, 63, was Guatemala’s top prosecutor from 2014 to 2018. During that time, she jailed then-President Otto Perez Molina and most of his Cabinet on corruption charges. Perez Molina resigned in 2015. </s> March 20 (UPI) -- A Guatemalan judge ordered the arrest of Thelma Aldana, a former attorney general and current presidential candidate.

Aldana, who is running in the June elections, faces an arrest order for three charges including customs fraud and theft, newspapers including Prensa Libre and La Hora reported Tuesday.

Guatemalan police, however, may not be able to detain her because she is already been registered as a presidential contender -- a status that prevents her arrest in the country.

"They are manipulating to prevent my participation in the electoral process because they are afraid of my participation," Aldana said in a Tuesday night tweet. Aldana previously worked with a U.N. anti-corruption commission investigating Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales. She reiterated her belief in Morales' role as head of a corruption scheme in a Tuesday night interview with CNN Spanish.

"They know I will continue my fight against corruption and many are trembling because of this is Guatemala," Aldana added on Twitter.

The Guatemalan comptroller accused Aldana of creating a false position for a consultant, who was paid $1 million from the InterAmerican Development Bank.

According to Guatemalan law, the case is now under strict reserve and neither party can make comments before March 28, La Hora newspaper said.

Aldana was Guatemala's top prosecutor between 2014 and 2018. Her investigations succeeded in jailing former President Otto Perez and his vice president, Roxana Baldetti.

Aldana has been described by the United Nations as a champion of women's rights.

According to La Hora, Aldana was believed to be outside Guatemala as of Tuesday night. </s> GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Guatemala’s former attorney general Thelma Aldana will seek to overturn a decision from the country’s top elections authority that would prevent the anti-corruption crusader from running for president, a top aide said on Tuesday.

A little over two months from the June vote, the electoral court rejected Aldana’s candidacy in a decision announced on Monday that cited an arrest warrant issued against her, which alleged irregularities during her tenure as chief prosecutor.

The electoral court case against Aldana, who served as attorney general from 2014 to 2018, was pursued by her political opponents.

Among the presidential front-runners in recent polls, Aldana has denied the charges and dismissed them as politically motivated.

“Why are there so many attacks? Because she represents a serious threat to the various economic, political and illicit interests that operate in the country,” Rotman Perez, Aldana’s campaign manager, told Reuters.

Perez said Aldana will opt for one of two options: ask the country’s Supreme Court to reinstate her on the ballot or seek an appeal with the Constitutional Court, Guatemala’s top judicial body.

He did not say when the presidential hopeful would make her next move.

Aldana, 63, leads the left-of-center Seed Movement party and is currently in neighboring El Salvador due to what she has described as political persecution.

Aldana led the field of presidential candidates with 28 percent ahead of the June 16 election in a recent Mitofsky poll, outpacing Zury Rios, the daughter of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, and former First Lady Sandra Torres.

During her tenure as Guatemala’s top law enforcement official, Aldana helped uncover corruption cases that led to the conviction and imprisonment of ex-President Otto Perez.

She has also been a vocal supporter of the U.N.-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, or CICIG.

Current President Jimmy Morales, who has been a target of CICIG investigators, has ordered the body to end its work and leave the country. </s> Prosecutors in Guatemala say they have opened a corruption investigation into a former chief prosecutor who is soon to be named a candidate in the June 16 presidential elections.

The Seed Movement party is planning to name Thelma Aldana as its candidate this weekend. Polls show Aldana would probably run second in the race.

Prosecution spokeswoman Julia Barrera would not say Friday what charges the investigation involves, but said it was related to a case of irregular hiring of personnel.

If Aldana is arrested or charged, it could effectively prevent her from running.

The 63-year-old Aldana was Guatemala's top prosecutor from 2014 to 2018. Her biggest successes were the jailing of former President Otto Perez Molina and most of his Cabinet on corruption charges. Perez Molina resigned in 2015. </s> GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - A Guatemalan judge has ordered the arrest of former attorney general and presidential candidate Thelma Aldana on charges including embezzlement, the police said on Tuesday, amid an escalating campaign on high-profile corruption and rights cases.

Aldana, who helped lead investigations into top politicians, including the current president, is seeking the presidency in a June election.

The warrant for her arrest, issued by Judge Victor Cruz, cited charges of embezzlement, lying and tax fraud. Aldana has denied wrongdoing.

Aldana, who was in El Salvador on Tuesday for a meeting, planned to return to Guatemala by Thursday, she said in an appearance on CNN.

She added that her presidential candidacy, approved by electoral authorities on Tuesday, had granted her immunity and that she would not take action against the arrest order.

“We’re not going to do anything... They know that I’m going to keep up the fight against corruption, and lots of people in Guatemala are trembling because of that,” she said.

President Jimmy Morales has fought back against a U.N.-backed anti-corruption body that, along with Aldana, sought to impeach him in a campaign financing investigation.

In January, he expelled the head of the corruption body, known as CICIG, from the country and has declined to renew its mandate.

Aldana and CICIG’s investigation of former President Otto Perez Molina led to his impeachment and cut short his presidency. He remains in custody on charges of involvement in a customs corruption ring.

Morales’ party is seeking to pass a law to free military officials convicted of human rights crimes during the Central American country’s 36-year civil war.

Lawmakers were set to review changes to the law on Wednesday, but dropped it from the agenda amid an onslaught of criticism from local and international rights groups, including the United Nations.

Instead, they have scheduled a discussion on modifying the criminal procedure code.

The proposed changes would limit jail time for accused people awaiting verdicts, which could allow the release of at least 100 people facing corruption charges, as well as others accused of war crimes.
A judge issues an arrest warrant against presidential candidate Thelma Aldana; however, as the Supreme Electoral Tribunal registered Aldana as a presidential candidate, she enjoys immunity and can not be arrested.