Marlies Stappers and Denis Martinez write in Impunity Watch about the newly appointed Attorney General, Gabriel García Luna, and the disastrous legacy of the previous AG, Consuelo Porras. The piece covers the various attempts of the incumbent AG to remain in a position of power within the judicial system and talks of the other judicial elections in Guatemala which are, themselves, of significance.
On 17 May, Guatemala’s new Attorney General, Gabriel García Luna, took office. His appointment raises hopes for change in the justice system, following the disastrous tenure of the outgoing Attorney General Consuelo Porras – who has been sanctioned by more than 40 countries for a pattern of the obstruction of justice, particularly aimed at undermining democracy and the rule of law.
The new Attorney General will face major challenges in restoring the independence of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Ministerio Público, MP) and rebuilding public confidence in the justice system. He must define a new criminal policy focused on the crimes that most affect the country, such as corruption, organised crime, extortion, homicides, violence against women, and the serious human rights violations committed during the internal armed conflict. Furthermore, he must put an end to the political persecution and criminalisation of journalists, human rights defenders, former justice operators and Indigenous leaders, that was initiated by former Attorney General Consuelo Porras.
The process for selecting the Attorney General took place between January and May 2026, and was subject to intense political pressure from sectors seeking to unduly influence the process. In the first stage, a nomination committee – comprising 15 members, twelve of whom were deans of law from the country’s universities – selected six candidates from a total of 59 applicants; and in the second stage, President Bernardo Arévalo chose the Attorney General from the list of six candidates received from the nomination committee.
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This election coincided with three other election processes of significance for the country: the election of the Electoral Tribunal; the election of the Constitutional Court; and the election of the rector of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala, the country’s only public university, which influences various areas of state decision-making.
You can read the full piece, with links and photos, as well as other resources around the process, in Spanish, here, Guatemala: New Attorney General appointed, Porras’ disastrous tenure ended.
Categories: Accompaniment, Corruption, Criminalisation, Criminalization, Guatemala, Human Rights, Impunity, Indigenous peoples, Justice, Solidarity in Action
Guatemala Solidarity Network 
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