At least four people seeking to represent Guanacaste in the Legislative Assembly will go to the national elections this February 1 with open criminal cases, scheduled trials, or files pending dismissal.
They are Nayuribe Guadamuz, candidate for deputy in the first position for Guanacaste from the Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO); Daniel Siezar Cárdenas, candidate for deputy in the second position, also from the PPSO; Greven Miranda Corrales, first substitute from the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC); and Ivonne Espinoza Rosales, candidate in the second position for that same party.
Substitute candidacies—such as Miranda Corrales’—replace principal candidates if they resign, die, or leave office. If the person elected in the first position resigns or dies, the second person on the list is called; if that person is also unavailable, the third position is called, and so on until reaching the person who ran in the fifth position. If that person also cannot take the seat, the first substitute is called.
Trial scheduled for 2027
Siezar Cárdenas will have to face an oral and public trial for the alleged crime of fraud, scheduled from May 17 to 21, 2027, according to confirmation from the Press Department of the Judicial Branch after consulting the Criminal Court of Liberia.
The case is being processed under file number 21-001232-0396-PE and has had a request for the opening of trial since February 28, 2025.
In addition, the candidate has another judicial file for apparent fraud (21-001329-0413-PE), which is currently in the investigation stage at the Adjunct Prosecutor’s Office of Liberia.
When consulted by La Voz de Guanacaste, Siezar stated that no “experienced lawyer” is exempt from facing judicial complaints and that he is the main party interested in the process moving forward.
According to his explanation, the complaint that already has a trial date arose from a probate proceeding in which a person felt affected by a judicial order related to the distribution of an inheritance.
A probate proceeding is the legal process through which the assets, rights, and obligations of a deceased person are transferred to their heirs, either by will or by operation of law.
According to the candidate, his participation was limited to notarizing what had been ordered by a judge.
The one who decided how to distribute the inheritance was a judge of the Republic; I only notarized what the judge ordered. Curiously, they included me in the complaint and not the judge,” he stated.
Regarding the second case under investigation, Siezar described it as “ridiculous” and said he acted in accordance with the information available in the Property Registry.
He added that in both cases he has spoken with the complainants, who—according to him—told him that it was the Prosecutor’s Office that requested his inclusion in the files.
If elected, the candidate would be protected by legislative immunity, which would prevent the Criminal Court of Liberia from continuing the trial scheduled for 2027, unless the Legislative Assembly lifts that immunity.
The Political Constitution establishes that deputies may not be arrested or subjected to criminal proceedings without legislative authorization, except in cases of flagrante delicto or if they voluntarily renounce immunity.
Siezar stated that if he reaches Congress, he would renounce that benefit in order to face the judicial process and said he is confident he will be acquitted.
Prosecutor’s Office requested dismissal of case against Guadamuz
The PPSO’s first-position candidate for deputy, Nayuribe Guadamuz Rosales, also appears in a criminal case for illegal appointments during her previous post as Minister of Culture. However, the case is currently pending dismissal.
According to information from the Office of the Prosecutor General, file number 22-000053-0033-PE involves eight high-ranking officials from the current administration, including President Rodrigo Chaves Robles; the director of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Jorge Torres Carrillo; former Minister of Culture Nayuribe Guadamuz Rosales; and the Minister of Environment and Energy, Franz Tattenbach Capra.
The case was sent to the Third Chamber with a request for dismissal, a request that applies to all the accused persons, according to official information from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
So far, the Chamber has not ruled on whether it will accept or reject that request.
La Voz de Guanacaste called Guadamuz on three occasions and left her a text message requesting her position on this case, but she did not respond.
Case against PUSC substitute
In the case of Social Christian candidate Greven Miranda Corrales, first substitute for Guanacaste, he faces a trial for an alleged offense of abuse, scheduled for next February 5, according to confirmation from the Criminal Court of Cañas.
The case is being processed under file number 24-000035-1894-PE and has had a request for the opening of trial since February 28, 2024.
La Voz de Guanacaste attempted to obtain Miranda’s version over several days and through different means, but he did not respond to calls or messages.
The PUSC’s principal candidate in the first position for Guanacaste, Bismarck Villegas, referred any inquiries to the party’s press spokesperson, Betsy Rojas.
Rojas indicated that, at the time of selecting its candidates, the PUSC required them to sign a document committing to renounce legislative immunity if they must face a judicial case.
Regarding Miranda’s specific case, she stated that the party respects due process and the judicial system, and that there is no final conviction against him.
Miranda was a candidate for mayor of Tilarán in the municipal elections of February 2024, when he was already facing precautionary measures in a case of alleged domestic violence.
Days before those elections, the Cañas Prosecutor’s Office issued a detention order against him. However, the accused voluntarily appeared before the Prosecutor’s Office, gave an investigative statement, and precautionary measures other than imprisonment were imposed on him, including a prohibition on harassing the victim.
At that time, the Prosecutor’s Office contradicted Miranda, who had publicly stated that such an order “never existed.”
Investigation ongoing
Another PUSC aspirant with an open judicial investigation is Ivonne Espinoza Rosales, second principal candidate for Guanacaste and current councilor of the Municipality of Santa Cruz.
Espinoza faces a case for alleged disobedience, processed under file number 25-001141-0412-PE at the Adjunct Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Cruz.
Initially, the candidate indicated that she was unaware of the investigation and had not been notified. Subsequently, the PUSC’s press officer explained that in the case the mayor and the entire Santa Cruz Municipal Council are accused for executing a judicial ruling.
According to the party, the complaint was filed by people affected by the execution of that ruling.
Can an elected deputy lose their seat?
Although deputies enjoy immunity, this protection does not apply immediately after elections.
The head of the Office of the Presidency of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), Andrei Cambronero, explained that immunity takes effect as of the official declaration of election by the electoral body.
That declaration is issued once the final vote count is completed. In the case of Guanacaste, this process usually takes place between the last week of February and the first week of March.
Cambronero indicated that if an elected person receives a final judicial conviction before the TSE’s declaration and it includes the disqualification of political rights, the Tribunal could not declare them elected.
Political rights can only be suspended by a final judicial ruling. If a person loses that requirement before the declaration, the TSE cannot grant them the seat,” he explained.
The official said he does not recall precedents in which an elected deputy has lost the position for this reason.
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