The University of San Carlos of Guatemala (Usac) assured that it has already resolved the requests presented by students affected by problems in their records academics; However, university students maintain that the institutional response does not restore their information, but rather forces them to submit documentation again to reconstruct their records.
While the University affirms that the procedure is part of an administrative review started in 2023 To strengthen the support of academic records, students ensure that uncertainty persists about the status of their registrations and they question that the responsibility of recovering information that, they affirm, the institution would have to safeguard in some format is transferred to them.
“They haven’t actually restored anything from our records”said Andrés Luna, an engineering student and one of those affected by the disappearance of academic information reported approximately two weeks ago.
As reported, staff of the Department of Registration and Statistics He told him that he should go to the Registry File to find out what documents he should present and thus complete his file.
“I must bring my results from basic and specific tests, a vocational guidance card, even though my process was completely virtual. I entered the University in 2020 and they did not give me a physical card, for example. They have also requested my pre-registration documents and even a photograph of both sides of the diversified degree,” he explained.
For Luna, the procedure does not represent a solution to the problem.
“So, that thing that they already solved me is not real. They are practically telling me to prepare my file from scratch so that they can have it back in their database. At this moment I do not see it as credible, considering that since 2022 four years have passed without the alleged damage to the records being reported or made known to us,” he said.
Furthermore, he considers that the University is transferring the burden of reconstructing files that should have remained under institutional protection to the students themselves.
“What happens is that, instead of facilitating the return of my file, They are transferring the responsibility of rebuilding it to me. They force me to carry out all the administrative procedures on my own to demonstrate information that the University itself should protect and guarantee,” he explained.
Although he managed to be assigned the courses for the second semester of 2026 because his faculty manages an independent registry, he indicated that other students did face difficulties in completing their registration within the established deadline.
They regain access, but must submit a new file
Another affected student assured that, after public complaints, USAC validated his registration certificate again and restored his access to the Department of Registration and Statistics portal. However, you must now submit a new file within ten days.
“After these complaints, USAC took a setback and now my registration certificate is validated and they gave me back access to the Registration and Statistics page; however, They require me to submit a new file within 10 days, alleging that my physical documents were lost during the 2022 and 2023 seizures. This argument is invalid, since in that period I was still studying basics, and in 2023 I was barely entering diversified school,” he stated.
The student, who is pursuing a process before the Administrative Crimes Prosecutor’s Office for an incident related to security personnel hired by USAC, assured that since then he has been the subject of intimidation, photographs and monitoring.
The affected students indicated that they will continue with legal actions to establish what happened to their academic records and who is responsible for the situation.
Usac maintains it did not delete records
In a recently released video, USAC — which does not maintain a direct channel of communication with media reporters — reported that since 2023 the Department of Registration and Statistics has been developing a process to review and strengthen academic records, after the loss of approximately 30 years of historical archives.
The University assured that this procedure does not imply the elimination, modification, cancellation or loss of academic records and maintained that the records, approved courses, grades and registrations remain fully valid within the institutional systems. In addition, he stated that all requests submitted by students have already been attended to.
The PDH continues its investigation
Despite the University’s statement, the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office (PDH) informed Free press that USAC has not yet sent the requested detailed report on the complaints related to academic records.
The institution indicated that the deadline granted to the University remains in force and expires next week. He added that he will continue his investigation independently to determine what happened to the academic records and if there was any violation of rights. The next steps will depend on the information collected during the monitoring of the case.
Deputies ask for an audit
In parallel, pro-government deputies last week asked the Comptroller General of Accounts (CGC) practice a special audit at USAC to verify the integrity of the University’s academic and computer records.
Among the requests is to review, in the case of re-entry students, the historical records necessary to reconstruct their academic career and verify the integrity of their records.
The legislators also pointed out that, for the 2026 academic year, USAC implemented a free registration modality, so the status of a registered student does not necessarily depend on an individual payment receipt, but on the administrative, academic and computer records generated and safeguarded by the institution itself.
Official deputies ask the @Contraloria_gt an audit for alleged errors in records that prevent the registration of USAC students for the new semester, inconveniences reported by those who question the continuity of Walter Mazariegos as rector. pic.twitter.com/magtAg8ssg
—Douglas Cuevas (@dcuevas_pl) July 23, 2026
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