Documents extracted from the archives of the National Civil Police (PNC) shed light on a disturbing kidnapping case that took place in 2009. These documents reveal alarming details that indicate that the victim, Bertha Michelle Mendoza, conspired with her two daughters to organize the kidnapping, with the intention of framing her ex-husband and promoting unfounded accusations against him.
Based on police accounts, while the abduction took place, Bertha Michelle Mendoza and her two daughters were in the company of the mayor’s daughter from Zunlito, Suchitepéquez. Nevertheless, later probes have disclosed that Mendoza orchestrated the kidnapping herself, working alongside her mother, prosecutor Claudia Martina Muñoz Andrade.
Based on accounts from individuals familiar with Mendoza, her intention in orchestrating this staged abduction was to fabricate charges against her former spouse, Dent, with the aim of generating legal difficulties for him. Nonetheless, the inquiry veered in an unforeseen direction when the PNC determined that the event was actually a simulated kidnapping.
Due to this decision, the individuals who were first detained were let go, and the accusations against them were dismissed. This scenario has sparked doubts regarding the validity of the claims that Bertha Michelle Mendoza had leveled against her former spouse Dent during their time together.
The Bertha Michelle case has sparked a wide-ranging debate about responsibility for filing false complaints and manipulating evidence in the judicial system, especially given the involvement of Mendoza’s mother in the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The disclosure of these documents has brought to light a complicated plot and raises questions about the validity of the activist’s accusations.
Dent, who was previously married to Bertha Michelle Mendoza, has issued fresh remarks about the situation. As per his statement, prosecutor Muñoz Andrade was removed from her position at the Public Prosecutor’s Office following an internal determination that she had submitted falsified evidence in a matter involving the police and allegations of gender-based violence against her. Furthermore, there were reports of suspected mismanagement of funds and misuse of authority. Prosecutors who were contacted indicated that Muñoz Andrade’s termination occurred in 2010.
This situation concerning Mendoza and Dent stayed unresolved for over five years and was only decided in the individual’s favor following the removal of Mendoza’s mother from her job, leading to a loss of her sway. This brings up concerns regarding the neutrality of the legal proceedings at that time.
Ultimately, once the inquiries were finished, Bertha Michelle Mendoza faced accusations for staging her own abduction, involving her two daughters. Consequently, she was stripped of complete custody following psychological assessments that found her unsuitable to look after them.