Jonathan Blitzer writes in The New Yorker on the group of judges and prosecutors who had been investigating Guatemala’s most powerful officials and who had been forced to flee their homeland. It shows the willingness of the State, and the… Read More ›
FECI
Guatemala’s Attorney General Elections: Judicial Independence and Democracy at a Crossroads
Ana María Méndez Dardón and Julia Aikman Cifuentes write in WOLA on the challenges facing an independent judiciary and the consequences for Guatemala’s commitment to fighting impunity when these are essential components of a democratic state. The persecution of independent… Read More ›
Witness Accuses Guatemalan President of Funding Campaign with Construction Bribes
José Luis Sanz writes in El Faro about the sworn testimonies regarding bribery and campaign contributions relating to the election of President Alejandro Giammattei, and the attempts by the Attorney General’s office to put a brake to the investigations. It… Read More ›
Fugitive Guatemala Minister Surrenders Amid Attacks on Justice System
Alex Papadovassilakis writes in InSight Crime on the ‘spontaneous’ and ‘voluntary’ surrender of a high level fugitive, more than a year after he was charged with money laundering. A minister in the government of Jimmy Morales, he is wanted in… Read More ›
More Dismantling Of Human Rights In Guatemala
News came through, the other day, of yet more egregious dismantling of the Guatemala judiciary in favour of promoting impunity for crimes against humanity. AP announced that: Guatemala’s attorney general has transferred the prosecutor leading the office that took former… Read More ›
Alianza Por Las Reformas – letter to G13
The Alianza Por Las Reformas (Alliance For Reforms) is a coalition of 40 civil society organisations, diverse and democratic, which was formed in in 2017 to promote and advocate for different reforms necessary for a more just country. It brings… Read More ›
To The Public
The former head of FECI, Juan Francisco Sandoval released a statement, from exile, in which he responded to attacks from the Attorney General. The statement is above and any errors in translation are mine. To The Public: The Attorney General,… Read More ›
Threats to the rule of law in Guatemala are getting serious
Sanne Weber and Marlies Stappers recently wrote in Open Democracy about the ongoing challenges facing the rule of law and the protection of human rights from the corrupt elites. This year, which marks the 25th anniversary of the peace accords… Read More ›
Guatemala’s Government Is Defying Biden’s Anti-Corruption Efforts
Jeff Abbott writes a column in The Progressive, The Other Americans, and this is from his latest piece. The Guatemalan government, helmed by President Alejandro Giammattei, continues to impede the country’s institutions meant to combat official corruption. While these attempts… Read More ›
Assault on Guatemala’s Justice System Intensifies With Expulsion of Anti-Corruption Prosecutor
Julia Aikman Cifuentes and Adriana Beltrán write, in WOLA, about the recent sacking of Juan Francisco Sandoval, the wave of protests in response, and the criminalisation of members of the judiciary. They also talk of the massive corruption of the… Read More ›