Former FMLN deputy Lorena Peña and her daughter were convicted of illicit enrichment by the First Civil Chamber of the First Section of the Center of San Salvador. The court found Peña guilty of illicit enrichment totaling $133,746.60, while her daughter, Ana Virginia Guardado Peña, was found to have enriched herself by $17,016.26, resulting in a total of $150,762.86 that must be repaid to the State.
The Attorney General’s Office reported that the evidence presented by the @FGR_SV showed that both defendants could not justify the increase in their assets and the legal origin of the money. In addition to the repayment of the illicitly obtained funds, Peña has been disqualified from holding any public office for the next 10 years.
The Prosecutor’s Office had accused the mother-daughter duo of illegally enriching themselves with $277,482.54 from State funds, although their lawyer claimed that they managed to vanish $126,719.68 of that amount.
In response to the ruling, Peña’s lawyer stated that they plan to appeal the sentence, noting that the amount of illicit enrichment attributed to them was significantly reduced. Peña herself labeled the sentence as political, arguing that the funds in question were related to her work at the Secretariat of Culture of the FMLN, not from the government.
Despite the conviction, Peña maintains her innocence, claiming that the funds in question were legitimate earnings from her work and personal investments. Nonetheless, she has been ordered to repay the disputed amount and face a 10-year disqualification from holding public office.