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The Swiss director of the umbrella organization of coffee cooperatives in Guatemala has to go to court over money laundering allegations. At the request of the public prosecutor’s office, a criminal case will be opened against Ulrich Gurtner, the responsible judge said on Tuesday. The Public Prosecution Service now has two months to complete the investigation.
The Gurtner-owned cooperative Fedecocagua is considered an important fair trade coffee company in Guatemala. As a representative of the association, Gurtner sits on the board of the development bank Banrural. According to his own statements, he assumes that the allegations against him are revenge for his criticism of illegal activities within the bank.
The coffee cooperative was founded in 1969 and represents 23,000 small farmers who are organized in about 70 cooperatives. Gurtner has been in jail since March. The judiciary in Guatemala is repeatedly suspected of arbitrarily initiating lawsuits. For this reason, the US government has imposed sanctions on the Attorney General and other prosecutors.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
