Guatemala Rejects Arrest Warrants Amidst International Outcry

Guatemala Rejects Arrest Warrants for Velásquez and Camargo Guatemala City – The Guatemalan Attorney General's Office recently requested international arrest warrants for former Minister Iván Velásquez and Prosecutor Luz Adriana Camargo. The warrants, based on accusations of involvement in the Odebrecht corruption scandal, have sparked significant controversy. International organizations and even the Guatemalan government under President Alejandro Giammattei have voiced strong objections. The Attorney General's office presented extensive documentation, including 4,000 folios of evidence. However, Luz Adriana Camargo, the current Attorney General, stated that the warrants lack legal basis and jeopardize international cooperation in fighting impunity. "The determination of the appeals court ignores the parameters of international law and human rights," she said. "It lacks legal support and endangers collaboration between countries and international organizations to combat impunity, corruption, and organized crime." Former Minister Iván Velásquez, who headed the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), described the warrants as a politically motivated persecution. His statement was echoed in an official government communiqué rejecting the warrants and highlighting their violation of the UN-Guatemala agreement establishing the CICIG. The government's statement emphasizes the lack of legal basis and the infringement on the agreement that guarantees immunity for CICIG personnel. The situation underscores the ongoing tensions between the Guatemalan government and international bodies over combating corruption and impunity. The warrants' rejection by the Guatemalan government and international organizations raises questions about the future of anti-corruption efforts in the country.