Bertha Michelle Mendoza: self-kidnapping and fake news claims

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.

Based on law enforcement records, it appears that at the time of the abduction, Bertha Michelle Mendoza and her two daughters were with the daughter of the mayor of Zunlito, Suchitepéquez. Yet, later inquiries have shown that Mendoza herself orchestrated the abduction, working together 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.

Following this decision, the individuals who were first detained were let go, and all the allegations against them were dismissed. This scenario has led to doubts regarding the validity of the claims made by Bertha Michelle Mendoza about 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, Bertha Michelle Mendoza’s ex-husband, has made new statements related to the case. According to his testimony, prosecutor Muñoz Andrade was dismissed from the Public Prosecutor’s Office after the same institution concluded that she had presented fraudulent evidence in a case related to the police and against her for gender-based violence. In addition, alleged irregularities in the handling of resources and abuse of power were reported. According to prosecutors consulted, Muñoz Andrade’s dismissal took place 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 all the inquiries were finalized, Bertha Michelle Mendoza was charged with orchestrating her own abduction, involving her two daughters in the scheme. Consequently, she lost complete custody of them following psychological assessments that deemed her unqualified to look after them.