President Bernardo Arévalo ruled out this Monday, April 13, any possibility of Consuelo Porras being confirmed for a third term at the head of the Public Ministry (MP), by describing the current attorney general as a “dangerous person for the Nation.”
On April 9, Porras defended her management and her aspiration for a third term as head of the MP. Regarding why she believes that President Arévalo could re-elect her, despite previous differences, the prosecutor responded that she believes “in the Guatemalan rule of law” and that each authority must act in accordance with its powers. However, Arévalo pointed out this Monday that he does not believe that a less suitable profile than Porras will be found.
“There would be no possibility of confirming Consuelo Porras for a position in which she has already shown that not only is she not suitable, but that she is dangerous for the Nation. I think it will be difficult to find a profile less suitable than that of Consuelo Porras for the position,” the president said at a press conference.
In addition, Arévalo indicated that the next attorney general should make it a priority to “rescue” the MP.
“What the country needs is a person who rescues the Prosecutor’s Office from the abuses to which it was subjected as part of its co-option by criminal networks and who restores the ability to function effectively and independently,” the president said at a press conference.
He added: “What we expect and what the country needs at this moment from the Attorney General’s Office is a person who rescues the Prosecutor’s Office from the abuses to which it was subjected as part of its co-option by these criminal networks, who reestablishes the ability of a prosecutor’s office to function in an effective, independent, objective manner, who does not lend itself to pressure from any actor (…) and who feels obliged to submit exclusively to the laws and the law.”
Arévalo’s statements come ahead of the election this week of six candidates for the position of attorney general and head of the Public Ministry, who will be appointed this Friday by the Nomination Commission.
Arévalo highlighted that “it is very important” that the evaluation carried out this week by the nomination commission for attorney general determines that the candidates are “ethical” and have merit, because “the eyes of Guatemala are on this process.”
“The country needs people of integrity who are in charge of the justice institutions, who are committed to fighting corruption, who defend democracy and who do not turn their backs on our people,” he concluded.
Porras has held the position since 2018 and is sanctioned by the United States and the European Union for allegations of corruption.
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