Carrera hearing: Statute of limitations rejected, ex-minister to testify

The initial control of accusation hearing against former Frente Amplio senator Charles Carrera has brought several key developments. A judge has rejected the defense's argument that some of the alleged offenses are time-barred, a decision Carrera's lawyers intend to appeal. In a significant move, former Interior Minister Luis Alberto Heber has been accepted as a witness for the potential oral trial.

The proceedings are ongoing, with the judge scheduling further hearings for the following week to continue examining the documentary and material evidence submitted by the prosecution. A central point of contention during the hearing was the statute of limitations. Carrera's defense argued that acts prior to June 11, 2015, should be considered prescribed, based on the ten-year statute of limitations for fraud and misuse of privileged information.

The core of the debate revolved around whether Carrera's alleged actions should be treated as separate offenses or as a continuous crime. The defense contended that the concept of a continuous crime, intended to prevent disproportionate penalties, should not be used to deny a defendant the right to claim the statute of limitations. They argued that specific incidents, such as the internments at the Police Hospital and the distribution of food tickets, were independent decisions, not part of a single, ongoing criminal resolution.

Conversely, the prosecution argued that the accusations describe conduct that extended over time. They pointed to the six-month renewals for hospital stays and the monthly distribution of food tickets over several years, with the latest acts occurring in 2016. The prosecution asserted that the statute of limitations argument had already been raised during the initial formalization of the investigation.