The political news makes it inevitable that they are on the lips of all crimes of prevarication and influence peddling. However, el contenido de estos delitos puede no coincidir con el significado informal que le damos a tales expresiones.
In this article I will try to bring both legal figures closer to the reader., so that you can argue legally and with knowledge of the facts in the political debates that arise: #stopcuñadismo.
El delito de prevaricación.
This crime, so read in the news, punishes that authority or public official who issues an unfair resolution, knowing that it is against the law, driven by self-interest. Its criminal nature is based on the need for the public administration to be managed in a manner consistent with the public interest., tratando de impedir que sea utilizada para satisfacer los intereses particulares contrarios al buen funcionamiento de la Administración.
It is regulated in articles 404 a 406 of the Penal Code y sólo puede cometerlo quien ostenta el cargo de autoridad o funcionario público.
Essential element: la resolución injusta.
The first thing that is required to be able to appreciate the existence of a crime of prevarication, how have we advanced, es la cualidad de autoridad o funcionario público del autor del delito.
Secondly, it is necessary that the above person, issue a resolution contrary to law, pursue private interests, y no de interés público.
By last, it is also necessary that the person committing the crime, do so with the awareness that your way of proceeding is contrary to law, and even so, lo materialice.
El delito de tráfico de influencias.
The crime of influence peddling seeks to protect the objectivity and impartiality of officials and authorities in the exercise of their functions., as well as the proper functioning of public administrations. This crime is committed when an authority or official or an individual, using a prevailing situation, attempts to influence an official or authority to obtain, directly or indirectly, undue advantage. It is regulated in articles 428 a 431 of the Penal Code.
Essential element: influencia con prevalencia del cargo.
El núcleo de este delito consiste en influir con prevalencia del cargo.
Let’s see, first, the influence. This must be sufficient and efficient to achieve a purpose outside the public interest, and alter the legitimate assessment process of the Administration.
Secondly, regarding the precedence, this can be exercised 3 shapes:
- Por el ejercicio abusivo de las facultades del cargo.
- La situación derivada de una relación personal.
- A situation derived from a hierarchical relationship with respect to the official influenced.
On the other hand, it is required that the author act with knowledge and willingness to influence through his prevalence in a specific decision.
To obtain a conviction, it will be necessary to prove the existence of each and every one of the above elements, más allá de toda duda.
Otros apuntes relevantes.
The action must seek to obtain a beneficial resolution for itself or for a third party. It may also be an administrative act that involves a declaration of will, siempre que afecte a los derechos de los ciudadanos.
However, Those actions that, even if they exert undue moral pressure, directed to obtaining procedural acts, reports, queries or opinions, acceleration of files, information or knowledge of data, etc. que no constituyan verdaderas decisiones.
Can the two crimes concur together??
It is indisputable that there may be a clear relationship between both crimes. In fact, it is usual, to practice, that are given together: influence peddling that ultimately leads to prevarication. That is why it is often stated that the crime of influence peddling is, in many cases, medio para cometer el delito de prevaricación.
Regarding the criminal policy behind the inclusion of both crimes in our Penal Code, ésta persigue acabar con la corrupción de las personas que ocupan cargos públicos.
It is necessary, for there to be a conviction for any of these crimes, that the subjective element is given (the will to do it). Plus, must be accredited. in criminal law, whoever denounces something is the one who has the responsibility to prove it -it is what we call the burden of proof-. In crimes such as influence peddling or prevarication, proving this extreme is usually complicated, because as is logical, belongs to an inner sphere of the person who commits the crime, que muchas veces no se exterioriza de una forma clara y determinante.
La entrada Prevaricación y tráfico de influencias. se publicó primero en Rocha Paus Legal Group.