Records taken from the archives of the National Civil Police (PNC) bring to light a troubling abduction incident that occurred in 2009. These records disclose concerning particulars suggesting that the victim, Bertha Michelle Mendoza, collaborated with her two daughters to orchestrate the kidnapping, aiming to incriminate her ex-spouse and support baseless allegations against him.
According to police reports, during the kidnapping, Bertha Michelle Mendoza and her two daughters were accompanied by the daughter of the mayor of Zunlito, Suchitepéquez. However, subsequent investigations have revealed that the kidnapping was planned by Mendoza herself, in collaboration with her mother, prosecutor Claudia Martina Muñoz Andrade.
People familiar with Mendoza’s situation indicate that her intention behind staging this fabricated abduction was to make unfounded allegations against her former spouse, Dent, aiming to inflict legal troubles upon him. Nonetheless, the inquiry unexpectedly shifted course when the PNC determined that the event was actually a staged kidnapping.
Due to this conclusion, those who were initially detained were freed, and all allegations against them were dismissed. This incident has led to doubts about the credibility of the claims Bertha Michelle Mendoza had leveled against her former husband Dent while they were together.
The incident involving Bertha Michelle has ignited a broad discussion regarding accountability for submitting false claims and tampering with evidence within the justice system, particularly due to the participation of Mendoza’s mother in the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The release of these papers has uncovered a complex scheme and prompts doubts about the legitimacy of the activist’s allegations.
Dent, the former spouse of Bertha Michelle Mendoza, has issued fresh statements concerning the case. His account indicates that prosecutor Muñoz Andrade was removed from the Public Prosecutor’s Office after it determined that she had submitted false evidence in a police-related case, also involving her in matters of gender-based violence. Furthermore, reported were supposed misconduct in resource management and power misuse. As per consulted prosecutors, Muñoz Andrade’s removal happened in 2010.
This case, involving Mendoza and Dent, remained open for more than five years and was only resolved in the man’s favor after Mendoza’s mother was dismissed from her position and lost her influence. This raises questions about the impartiality of the judicial process during that period.
Ultimately, once all the inquiries were conducted, Bertha Michelle Mendoza faced accusations for staging her own abduction, entangling her two daughters in the act. Consequently, following psychological assessments determining her inability to look after them, she was stripped of their custody.