The European Union Council (EU) reported on Thursday, June 12 that it decided to impose restrictive measures against three people and an entity “Related to actions that They undermine democracy and the rule of law in Guatemala. ”
He affirmed that the Council “remains deeply concerned about the actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law in Guatemala, including the persistent instrumentalization of the justice system.”
“The Council is especially concerned with the continuous attacks against the democratically elected government of President Arévalo and the improper use of legal and procedural measures against elected officials, human rights defenders, journalists, indigenous leaders and independent judicial operators,” he said.
He indicated that, therefore, the Council has included the Foundation against Terrorism (FCT) in its list, To its president Ricardo Rafael Méndez Ruiz Valdés and his legal representative Raúl Amílcar Falla Ovalle “for actions that threaten the rule of law in Guatemala, consisting of persecution and intimidation of representatives of the media, lawyers, judges and prosecutors.”
“FCT and its attacked members have initiated a multitude of criminal investigations against justice operators, journalists and government representatives, and have intimidated civil society and the judiciary,” said the EU.
In addition, the Council has imposed restrictive measures to the judge of First Criminal Instance of the Tenth Court of First Instance of Guatemala, Jimi Rodolfo Bremer Ramírez, “for actions that threaten democracy and the rule of law in Guatemala, such as the persecution and intimidation of the representatives of the media, and the lawyers and prosecutors in Guatemala”
According to the information, the EU restrictive measures are now applied to eight people and an entity in Guatemala.
What do restrictive measures imply
The designated people are subject to a asset freezing, and EU citizens and companies have Forbidden to put funds at your disposal. In addition, natural persons are subject to a Travel prohibitionwhich prevents them from entering or traveling through the EU territories.
“These selective sanctions are designed precisely to demand responsibilities and affect only those who participate, support or benefit from actions that undermine democracy, the rule of law or the peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala. They do not constitute, in any case, sanctions against Guatemala, their population or their economy,” the Council explained.
“The EU and Guatemala maintain a long collaboration and the EU maintains its commitment to support democracy in the country. The EU electoral observation mission of 2023, the clear position of the EU in defense of the electoral results, its support for good governance and the specific sanctions mentioned are part of this effort,” he said.
He said: “The EU will continue working with the Guatemalan government and all sectors of society to support a positive national agenda and invest in an inclusive and sustainable development for the benefit of all.
He explained that to support the democratic transition and respect the will of the Guatemalan people with respect to the democratically chosen government, the EU adopted on January 12, 2024 a Specific framework for restrictive measures Regarding Guatemala, in order to demand responsibilities to those who undermine democracy, the rule of law or obstruct a democratic transition after the general elections of 2023, which resulted in a clear victory of President Bernardo Arévalo, as evidenced by the electoral observation mission.
Reasons of inclusion in the list
According to the EU, “the FCT participates in a campaign of criminal prosecutions for political reasons led by the GuatemalanGeneral Prosecutor’s Office against journalists, prosecutors and judges who have participated in the complaint of corruption and impunity in Guatemala, as well as against the Government of Guatemala, democratically elected, in particular President Bernardo Arévalo.”
“The FCT has initiated a multitude of judicial investigations against different intervenings in the judicial system, journalists and government representatives through the presentation of criminal complaints and the intervention as a demanding third party in criminal cases that do not respect the fundamental rights of the defendants,” said the EU.
“Through these actions, the FCT participates in actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law in Guatemala, among which are the persecution and intimidation of representatives of the media, lawyers, judges and prosecutors,” he said.
According to the EU, through these actions, Raúl Falla Ovalle participates in actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law in Guatemala, among which are the persecution and intimidation of representatives of the media, lawyers, judges and prosecutors.
The EU said that Ricardo Méndez Ruiz Valdés also participates in actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law in Guatemala, among which are the persecution and intimidation of representatives of the media, lawyers, judges and prosecutors.
Reason for sanction against judge
According to the EU, judge Jimi Bremer Ramírez “has issued arrest orders and authorized investigations based on false accusations, and has also suspended the views of said processes, thus limiting the right of the defendants to a public hearing, access to justice and the right to a fair trial”
“As Supervisor Judge, Jimi Bremer Ramírez authorized in February 2023 the application of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity, which depends on the Public Ministry, to investigate several newspapers of the newspapers El Periódico and Press Community, following their coverage of high -level corruption in Guatemala,” the EU stark.
Also, “he suspended and delayed the views of the founder of El Periódico, Jose Rubén Zamora, on at least six occasions in one of the criminal cases against him. In addition, Jimi Bremer Ramírez expanded the processes in the criminal cases against former prosecutors Stuardo Campo and Eduardo Pantaleón, and against the lawyer of the disappeared international commission against impunity in Guatemala, Claudia González González Orellana.”
“Through these actions, Jimi Bremer Ramírez participates in actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law in Guatemala, among which are the persecution and intimidation of representatives of the media, lawyers and prosecutors of that country, and supports those actions.”
Other sanctioned in Guatemala
February 2, 2024, The EU sanctioned the Attorney General of Guatemala, María Consuelo Porras Argueta, for her attempts to avoid the inauguration of the President, Bernardo Arévalo de León, who assumed the position on January 14 of that year and for undermining democracy.
The sanctions also affect José Rafael Curruchiche Cucul, head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI); to the Feci prosecutor, Leonor Eugenia Morales Lazo; to the Secretary General of the Public Ministry, Ángel Arnoldo Pineda Ávila and Judge Fredy Raúl Orellana.
According to the European Union, restrictive measures were imposed that restrict trips and freeze assets in the European Union.
It was noted that the EU council sanctioned the five people for undermining democracy and the rule of law or the peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala.
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