Letter to the Hon. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary General - Torres, members of congress to United Nations Secretary General: "Ensure the physical safety of CICIG employees in Guatemala"

Letter

Dear Mr. Secretary General,

As strong supporters of the United Nations (UN) and the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) who have recently returned from a congressional delegation to Guatemala, we write to urge you to take steps to ensure the physical safety of those CICIG employees who remain in Guatemala following the Commission's closure, as well as the Guatemalan judges, prosecutors, and civil society advocates who have closely cooperated with CICIG during its tenure in Guatemala.

Since 2007, CICIG and its Guatemalan partners have conducted successful investigations and prosecutions of criminal organizations and individuals who have robbed the country of millions of dollars of state resources. These criminal groups have been implicated in human rights violations and serious crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, and kidnapping. They retain significant informal power in Guatemala, due in large part to their involvement with what CICIG has termed "political-economic networks of corruption." Despite, or rather because of, CICIG's significant contributions to strengthening the rule of law in the country, the Commission and its partners have made dangerous enemies during the past twelve years.

While the Commission's staff includes many international prosecutors and investigators, it also includes, at present, a total of 93 Guatemalan staff members, in addition to CICIG's many partners in the Attorney General's office, especially the Office of the Special Prosecutor against Impunity. CICIG also has crucial partners throughout the judicial sector and in civil society. Many have already received threats, and during our visit to Guatemala, we heard concerns that many more will face retaliation upon the Commission's departure.

It is critical that the UN take immediate steps to ensure the safety of these brave individuals, who have placed their trust in the UN to carry out important work at great personal risk. While we recognize that, following the commission's closure, the UN will no longer have the same capacity to provide physical security, we urge you to use all available options, including working through those UN agencies that retain a presence in Guatemala, to provide this much-needed protection. It is our view that doing so is not only within the mandate of the UN but is also a moral obligation.

For our part, as Members of the United States Congress, we will continue to advocate for the rule of law in Guatemala and the protection of those who defend it. As always, please count on our continued support for the UN and its important work across the globe.