CEJIL supports extending the mandate of the CICIG

The Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) joins the many different voices that, at both the international and national level, have expressed the urgent need to maintain the CICIG, in order to respond to the great challenges still faced by the Guatemalan justice system, which have been evidenced by the Inter-American Court in its judgments against Guatemala.

The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG, as it is known in Spanish), began operating in 2007 as part of an agreement between the United Nations and the Guatemalan government.The CICIG is a unique model of international cooperation for strengthening the rule of law, whose mission is to support the investigation and dismantling of criminal networks linked with public officials and institutions of the State.

In its nearly eight years of operation, the CICIG has delivered results that prove its important contribution to justice and the fight against impunity in Guatemala.These achievements include accusations of corruption committed by various public officials leading to their dismissal, including a Prosecutor General and Director General of Police. Likewise, the legislative reforms proposal provided research tools to the Public Prosecutor’s Office and made possible the implementation of high-risk tribunals for the prosecution of offences related to organized crime and serious human rightsviolations.

In terms of criminal prosecution, the Commission has investigated about 150 casesassociated with drug trafficking, theft of and tampering with evidence by state agents, corruption, murder and money laundering.The most prominent cases include the process against former President Alfonso Portillo and the recent dismantling of the customs fraudnetwork, which involved the Superintendent of tax administration, Omar Franco, and Juan Carlos Monzón, private secretary of Vice-President Roxana Baldetti.

This year, the Guatemalan Government must decide if it will request the United Nations to extend the mandate of the CICIG for anadditionaltwo years. Otto Pérez Molina, President of the Republic, stated that he will release his decision on the matter shortly.

We believe that maintaining this body is vital in continuing the fight against criminal structures that undermine the democratic system. We urge the Guatemalan government to demonstrate its firm commitment to the rule of law by extending the mandate of the CICIG without any modification that would limit its existing authority.