International Community Must Stand Against Action that would Decimate Rule of Law
Washington, DC—On Monday, January 7, the Guatemalan government announced it would unilaterally terminate the mandate of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) established between the Guatemalan State and the United Nations in 2006. Adriana Beltrán, Director for Citizen Security at research and advocacy group the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), issued the following statement in reaction to these developments:
“The Guatemalan government’s unilateral termination of the agreement creating the CICIG not only violates its international obligations, but is a blatant move on the part of President Morales and his allies to avoid accountability for their illegal activities. This action would decimate the rule of law in Guatemala. For the last two years, the Guatemalan government has sought to undermine the progress made in the fight against corruption and impunity and put an end to high profile corruption investigations. In this process it has repeatedly sought to defy Guatemala’s highest court.
The Constitutional Court must continue to ensure respect for the rule of law. The international community must strongly condemn the actions of the Guatemalan government, use all tools at their disposal to ensure accountability for corrupt public officials, and stand with the people of Guatemala who have been demanding greater accountability and an end to corruption.”
