indicated that to date, seven prosecutors had been in charge of the case and that “in their dealings they showed little or no interest in seeking out the truth or casting light on the facts.”154 100. In a resolution dated November 20, 2000, the Public Prosecution Service appointed Mr. Luis Cantillano as the ad hoc prosecutor in the case of the death of Carlos Escaleras.155 On April 26, 2001, the Director General of Prosecutors suspended Luis Cantillano from his position as ad hoc prosecutor for the proceedings “until the conclusion of the investigation into his actions currently underway under instructions from this Directorate.”156 101. On December 1, 2000, prosecutor Alain Díaz submitted a report from the DGIC recommending that the court conduct the necessary inspections of the company Lexus de Honduras. 157 On February 13, 2001, prosecutor Luis Cantillano requested that the court issue an order for Lucas García Alfaro to be brought from the detention center where he was being held on the grounds that “the case at hand has had a major social impact in the region and purportedly involves individuals with great economic and political influence in the country.”158 He claimed that Mr. García Alfaro had received threats in prison and had been harassed by Salomón Martínez’s attorney, who frequently visited him.159 102. On February 16, 2001, a document was presented indicating that Salomón Martínez had been elected as a congressman for the department of Colón for the period 1998-2001. Nevertheless, the record indicates that on February 10, 1998, he requested permission to “be absent from parliamentary sessions for the duration of his duties at an autonomous institution [and] will receive no pay.”160 103. On March 28, 2001, prosecutor Luis Cantillano presented an expansion of the criminal accusation against Oscar Escobar and José Santos Manueles Hernández as the suspected perpetrators of the crime, and against Congressman Juan Ramón Salgado and Irene de Jesús Castro Reyes as the suspected masterminds behind the murder of Carlos Escaleras.161 The prosecutor based this decision on the statement made by Lucas García Alfaro that, through Irene de Jesús Castro, Mr. Facussé had given money to the congressmen Juan Ramón Salgado and Salomón Martínez in order for them to kill Carlos Escaleras. 162 104. He added that Oscar Escobar “was the person responsible for monitoring the deceased’s movements, and communicating them to Orlando Martínez so that he could give orders to his hitmen about the date and time [for killing him].”163 He also stated that José Santos Manueles Hernández was “dedicated 154 Annex 65. Letter to the Attorney General of the Republic, dated November 21, 2000, Annex 2 to petitioners’ submission of August 6, 2005. 155 Annex 66. Resolution No. DGF-001-00 of the Public Prosecution Service, dated November 20, 2000, Annex 3 to the petitioners’ submission of August 6, 2005. 156 Annex 67. Memorandum DGF-No. 74-2001 of the Public Prosecution Service, dated April 26, 2001, Annex 4 to the petitioners’ submission of August 6, 2005. 157 Annex 60. Document DGIC-TC-11-2000 of the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation, dated November 14, 2000, judicial case file, pp. 314-316, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 158 Annex 68. Communication of Prosecutor Luis Cantillano, dated February 13, 2001, judicial case file, pp. 367-369, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 159 Annex 68. Communication of Prosecutor Luis Cantillano, dated February 13, 2001, judicial case file, pp. 367-369. Annex 69. Record of the National Congress, dated February 1, 2001, judicial case file, pp. 375-376, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 160 161 Annex 70. Expansion of criminal charges, dated March 28, 2001, judicial case file, Vol. II, pp. 390-395, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 162 Annex 70. Expansion of criminal charges, dated March 28, 2001, judicial case file, Vol. II, pp. 390-395, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 163 Annex 70. Expansion of criminal charges, dated March 28, 2001, judicial case file, Vol. II, pp. 390-395, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 20