Ernesto Muyshondt.
The Fifth Sentencing Court of San Salvador has scheduled the trial verdict in the case against former San Salvador Mayor Ernesto Muyshondt for February 21.
The Court concluded the public hearing of the case on Tuesday, February 4, and scheduled the reading of the verdict for February 21.
Muyshondt is being prosecuted along with the former director of Finance, Santos Omar Muñoz; the former treasurer, Fernando Portillo, and the former legal representative of Solid Waste, Francisco Chacón.
Muyshondt is facing this judicial process for the crimes of withholding labor fees, misappropriation of tax revenues, and failure to fulfill his duties as city mayor of the nation’s capital.
The judges stated that the date for the case’s outcome could be changed due to the extensive documentation that needs to be reviewed before a sentence or acquittal is issued.
FGR prosecutors have requested an eight-year prison sentence for former mayor Muyshondt for aggravated failure to fulfill his duties in the two cases, totaling 16 years.
Additionally, they are asking for six years for misappropriation of tax benefits, adding up to a total of 22 years in prison.
Ernesto “Neto” Muyshondt is the former mayor of San Salvador for the right-wing political party ARENA (2018-2021) and former deputy of the Legislative Assembly for the same party (2015-2018).
Ernesto Muyshondt’s Legal Troubles
Muyshondt is currently in prison in pre-trial detention facing three separate legal actions. He is facing two cases linked to the San Salvador City Hall, which will be adjudicated at the Fifth Sentencing Court of San Salvador.
Additionally, the former politician is facing a criminal charge of illicit negotiation and procedural fraud for allegedly paying off gangs to support the ARENA political party in the 2014 presidential elections.
Breach of Duties Charges
Ernesto Muyshondt faces charges of breaching his duties while serving as mayor of the capital city from 2018 to 2021.
Also accused in this process are the former treasurer of the mayor’s office, Fernando Heriberto Portillo Linares, and the former director of finance, Santos Omar Muñoz Gonzalez.
In the breach of duties case, Muyshondt is accused of being responsible for the withholding of $5,217,129.47 in labor contributions from municipal employees that were not delivered to the corresponding institutions, arguing that the mayor was aware of the problem but did not act.
The total includes 41 victims and 54 financial entities, which range from Pension Fund Administrators (AFP) to various unions, banks, cooperatives, and other institutions.
The Prosecutor’s Office accuses Muyshondt of being aware that money was withheld from employees; however, instead of remitting these funds to the appropriate institutions, the money was redirected toward city hall projects.
SEE ALSO: Ernesto Muyshondt. Politician Ex-Mayor of San Salvador
Tax Withholdings Misappropriation Charges
Salvadoran authorities accused Muyshondt of withholding tax money from workers of the Solid Waste Directorate of the capital’s mayor’s office and not declaring them to the Ministry of Finance.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the withholdings amounted to $275,145, and it occurred in 2020.
The former treasurer of the mayor’s office, Fernando Heriberto Portillo Linares, and the former director of Solid Waste, Francisco Jose Rivera Chacon, are also involved in this legal process.
This case went to trial, and in August 2023, the Sixth Sentencing Court acquitted him. However, the Prosecutor’s Office appealed the decision, and the Third Criminal Chamber ordered a retrial.
Electoral Fraud and Illicit Associations Charges
Ernesto Muyshondt is accused of the crimes of electoral fraud and illicit groups. Muyshondt’s accusations of negotiating with gangs for votes originated from the 2014 presidential campaign.
The former mayor is accused of meeting with gang members and allegedly paying them to vote for Norman Quijano, the presidential candidate of the right-wing political party ARENA.
Muyshondt met with the gang leaders to influence them to have their families and other gang members vote in their favor in exchange for money.
Ernesto Muyshondt, then vice president of Arena, is seen in a video along with Salvador Ruano, the mayor of Ilopango at the time, meeting with representatives of the MS13 and the two factions of Barrio 18, Revolucionarios and Sureños.
In it, Muyshondt offers, if Quijano wins, to end the maximum security regime at the Zacatecoluca prison, where the principal historical leaders of the gangs are currently serving sentences.
Both Muyshondt and Ruano acknowledged the authenticity of the video, admitting that the meeting aimed to thwart gang interference in Quijano’s 2014 presidential candidacy and establish a pact to curb homicides in exchange for prison reforms.
