The Accompaniment Mission of the European Union (EU) published a statement this Sunday in which it welcomed the inauguration of the new attorney general of the Republic and head of the Public Ministry (MP), Gabriel Estuardo García Luna, and mentions that this was carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala.
The statement notes that the EU mission closely observed the sessions of the Nomination Commission for attorney general and found that these were carried out with sufficient publicity.
He also mentioned the resolution of the Constitutional Court that ordered the review of the qualifications of some candidates and, consequently, a new vote to form the final list sent to President Bernardo Arévalo within the legal deadlines.
“The Mission positively values that, despite the multiple legal actions promoted through constitutional means, the competent bodies maintained legal certainty regarding the validity of the payroll and the appointment made by the President of the Republic,” the document reads.
It’s an advance
In the statement, the EU considers that the inauguration of the new attorney general for the period 2026-2030 constitutes progress for the rule of law, democracy and the protection of human rights in Guatemala.
It also highlights the importance of this renovation contributing to the proper functioning of the justice system in the country.
“The change in the leadership of the Public Ministry represents an opportunity to put an end to criminalization practices that have affected, among others, justice operators, human rights defenders, journalists and representatives of civil society,” the statement reads.
The Mission also called for “an objective review of the criteria applied in criminal proceedings questioned due to clear arbitrariness that, in many cases, led to the preventive detention of various people.”
“The case of the indigenous leaders Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán stands out, who continue without effective access to judicial resources and face constant unjustified delays in the development of their hearings,” the statement adds.
The mission called on prosecutor García Luna to reaffirm his commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and guaranteeing that the MP team carries out its functions with independence, transparency, objectivity and impartiality.
They point out that this will be essential to regain the trust of citizens in an institution that has the exclusivity of the exercise of public criminal action and that, therefore, must place the protection of the interests and rights of Guatemalan society as a whole at the center of its mission.
“The European Union Accompaniment Mission was deployed to monitor the selection and appointment processes of magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Court, magistrates of the Constitutional Court and attorney general of the Republic and head of the Public Ministry. As a result of its accompaniment activities, the mission will issue a public report during June,” the statement closes.