Former director of the Department of Migration Miguel Vasquez has been sentenced to two years in jail. The ruling came from Seventh Penal Court judge Margarita Paredes. Vasquez is a PRD congressional deputy candidate in the 16 May election. The sentence bans him from running for office in the congressional election. He was sentenced for migration fraud in the case of Chinese illegal immigrants who tried to cross the border from Haiti. Chinese nationals Chen Ngow Chai and Ng Choon Seng accused Vasquez of retaining US$44,000 in cash that was found in their possession when they were arrested for people trafficking.
Vasquez had made headlines when the US Consulate announced that his visa to travel to the US had been removed.