Share

Attacks Against CICIG Show Why Guatemala Still Needs It

By Claudia Escobar

Guatemala's institutions will one day succeed on their own. Until then, the UN-backed body is a vital partner.

The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) has been key in Guatemala’s fight against corruption. The UN-backed body has, over the past 10 years, taken on complex tasks that the state recognized could not be accomplished independently: It has investigated the operation of illegal security forces and illicit economic political networks; it has collaborated with state institutions to dismantle these networks; and it has promoted the prosecution of related crimes.

Working outside government, without attending pressures from interest groups, CICIG has exposed...

Read this article on the Americas Quarterly website. | Subscribe to AQ.