Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA

Government Corruption: 2010

October 14, 2010: Spanish arrest former Guatemalan minister. The Spanish have arrested former Guatemalan Minister of the Interior, Carlos Vielmann, who is wanted for his connection to the killing of seven inmates of the El Pavon jail during a prison mutiny in 2006. The International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala named him a suspect and is expected to be taken before the National Court so extradition can begin. [Washington Post] [See also: Prensa Libre]

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October 8, 2010: U.S. decides not to participate in Guatemala’s adoption program, says corruption is still a concern. Guatemala suspended international adoptions in 2007 because of stolen babies and fraudulent documents and enacted a new program in 2008.  The U.S. believes Guatemala can’t prove that the new system will be free of corruption, so will not participate. In the past, Guatemala was the second largest country for foreign adoption (after China). [LA Times] See also: Prensa Libre.

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March 19, 2010: Portillo's Extradition could take five years. Experts believe five years may pass before Ex-President Portillo is tried in the U.S. justice system, where he has been charged with conspiracy to launder $70 million from the Guatemalan state. Portillo has appealed the charge. If he is found guilty in Guatemalan courts, he must serve his sentence in Guatemala before his extradition and trial in U.S. courts. [Prensa Libre]

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February 27, 2010: Interior Minister Raul Velasquez deposed for involvement in money laundering. Velasquez was dismissed yesterday after the discovery that at least Q20 million (approximately US$2,450,600) paid to energy company Maskana, S.A. to provide fuel for the police ended up in the bank accounts of companies in the U.S., Brazil and Panama and in personal accounts of individuals related to Maskana. Investigations revealed that Maskana and the Guatemalan companies who received funds were fronts and their offices did not exist. It is unclear whether Velasquez received funds as part of the deal. [Prensa Libre]
The new Minister, Carlos Menocal, is a journalist by training who has worked with many of the major Guatemalan papers. In March 2009 he was named by Colom as the Anti-Impunity Commissioner, in charge of coordinating with the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). On his first day in office, Menocal removed the four Vice Ministers who served under Velasquez and has named two of the four replacements. [Prensa Libre] [elPeriodico]

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February 20, 2010: Mack Explains National Civil Police Crisis. Helen Mack, head of the Presidential Commission for Police Reform believes that poor working conditions contribute to corruption within in the National Civil Police. Mack argues that to combat corruption within the police force, working conditions for police must improve.  She cited the example of police who after graduation from the police academy did not receive their salaries.  The director was quick to point out that these conditions do not justify the corruption but that they do exacerbate the problem.  Mack believes that with transparency and sufficient funding, results could be seen in a year and a half. [PrensaLibre]

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January 27, 2010: Guatemalan Ex-president Portillo captured

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January 20, 2010: 21 Active Charges against Salvador Gándara. Salvador Gándara, ex Minister of Government and mayor of Villa Nueva, continues to accumulate charges against him.  Some of the already 21 charges against him include abuse of authority, coercion, illegal detentions, constitutional violations, threats, disappearances, contamination and money laundering.  The charges are divided into administrative crimes, crimes against the environment and against Villa Nueva.   He is also accused of providing a false witness, Olvidio Batz Tax, in the Rosenberg case.  One obstacle to the case was that the judge assigned by the Supreme Court had received the notification to begin his investigation.  However, on January 27^th, the Supreme Court suspended Gándara’s amparo (habeas corpus) and the court can now begin investigations. [Prensa Libre]

 

 

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