Criminal guarantees judge Miguel Ángel Palacios Méndez formalized on Wednesday the processing of the removal request against criminal sentencing judge of Pedro Juan Caballero, Librada Beatriz Peralta Céspedes. The magistrate is under investigation for allegedly using false academic certificates to obtain points in her professional file.
According to the Public Prosecutor's Office complaint, Peralta Céspedes allegedly sent digitally three certificates of postgraduate courses in criminal and childhood law, referring to the year 2023. However, an audit by the Council of the Judiciary and the Judicial School found that the judge was never enrolled in those courses. Preliminary technical examinations revealed that the three certificates bore identical signatures of the authorities and the notary, indicating the strokes were scanned and inserted digitally.
Given the expiration of the deadline for presenting the original documents in physical format, Judge Palacios issued Interlocutory Order No. 372. The resolution officially communicates the start of the removal process to the Jury for the Impeachment of Magistrates (JEM) and forwards the 149 pages of the file to the full Supreme Court of Justice for analysis.
The Public Prosecutor's Office, represented by prosecutor Leonardi Guerrero, requested a six-month period to conclude the investigative phase. Since the arrest of the defendant was not requested, the prosecution stated it will request alternative precautionary measures, such as a ban on leaving the country and a financial bond, once the judge is formally brought before the court.