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| Guatemala ex-President Otto Perez indicted for corruption | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A Guatemalan judge has ordered the former president, Otto Perez Molina, to stand trial on corruption charges. | A Guatemalan judge has ordered the former president, Otto Perez Molina, to stand trial on corruption charges. |
| Prosecutors accuse Mr Perez of masterminding a scheme where businesses bribed officials to clear their imports through customs at a low tax rate. | Prosecutors accuse Mr Perez of masterminding a scheme where businesses bribed officials to clear their imports through customs at a low tax rate. |
| The scandal led to months of street protests across the country. | The scandal led to months of street protests across the country. |
| The judge said there was sufficient evidence for Mr Perez Molina to face charges of customs fraud, racketeering and bribery. | The judge said there was sufficient evidence for Mr Perez Molina to face charges of customs fraud, racketeering and bribery. |
| A UN commission helped gather criminal evidence for the case which they say is based on around 89,000 wire-tapped phone calls. | A UN commission helped gather criminal evidence for the case which they say is based on around 89,000 wire-tapped phone calls. |
| The scheme was dubbed "La Linea" (the line), after a telephone hotline businesses allegedly called to get in touch with corrupt officials. | |
| Prosecutors allege the scheme collected $3.8m in bribes between May 2014 and April 2015, including $800,000 each to Mr Perez and former vice-president Roxana Baldetti, who has already been jailed. | Prosecutors allege the scheme collected $3.8m in bribes between May 2014 and April 2015, including $800,000 each to Mr Perez and former vice-president Roxana Baldetti, who has already been jailed. |
| The former president has denied any wrongdoing and has promised to co-operate with the investigation. | The former president has denied any wrongdoing and has promised to co-operate with the investigation. |
| "Your honour, I am not going to risk my dignity, my work, nor all the effort I have made for Guatemala in return for $800,000," he said in court earlier this week. | "Your honour, I am not going to risk my dignity, my work, nor all the effort I have made for Guatemala in return for $800,000," he said in court earlier this week. |
| He resigned as president last week after Congress lifted his political immunity following months of anti-corruption protests. | He resigned as president last week after Congress lifted his political immunity following months of anti-corruption protests. |
| He will remain in jail until the trial in three months' time. | He will remain in jail until the trial in three months' time. |
| The Vice President, Alejandro Maldonado, is acting as an interim leader until a new president takes power in January. | The Vice President, Alejandro Maldonado, is acting as an interim leader until a new president takes power in January. |
| On Sunday Guatemala held general elections. | On Sunday Guatemala held general elections. |
| A comic actor, Jimmy Morales won the presidential race, but fell short of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff in October. | A comic actor, Jimmy Morales won the presidential race, but fell short of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff in October. |
| He will face either former first lady Sandra Torres or centre-right businessman Manuel Baldizon. | He will face either former first lady Sandra Torres or centre-right businessman Manuel Baldizon. |
| Mr Baldizon had been a favourite to win but Mr Morales saw a late surge of support in opinion polls off the back of the unfolding corruption scandal. | Mr Baldizon had been a favourite to win but Mr Morales saw a late surge of support in opinion polls off the back of the unfolding corruption scandal. |
| Several of Mr Baldizon's allies had been linked to the scandal. | Several of Mr Baldizon's allies had been linked to the scandal. |