Judge Suspends Odebrecht Case to Work on Another Case

The Judicial Branch ordered the suspension of the case last Thursday, with the aim of allowing Marquínez to preside over the Odebrecht case hearing this Monday. Judge Marquínez is currently also the rapporteur in the Fisher case, which has been suspended for five days. She mentioned that it is important for the Judicial Branch to explain the dynamics of the litigation, as the law states that Marquínez cannot be absent from a case for more than 10 days; therefore, she cannot perform both functions. The defense lawyer for one of the alleged parties involved in the Odebrecht case, Pedro Meilán, believes that the most viable way to maintain order and respect the rights of all involved is to suspend the hearing until Judge Baloisa Marquínez completes her work in the inquisitorial system. The jurist considers that appointing a new judge to the case will be 'very difficult' because it requires extensive knowledge of the file; in that sense, the most feasible option would be to suspend the hearing for at least 3 months, until the Fisher case concludes. 'We do not understand how both hearings can be held at the same time because Judge Baloisa does not have a substitute at the moment,' he stressed. 'I think (the suspension) is more viable because switching back and forth is not correct or fair for the people represented in both hearings,' he stated.