The United Kingdom announced on Wednesday, April 2, sanctions for “anti -democratic and corrupt actors from three countries, including Guatemala.”
He informed that he sanctioned “seven corrupt actors whose actions have undermined democracy and the rule of law in Guatemala, including former president Alejandro Giammattei and the attorney general María Consuelo Porras.”
He explained that this is part of a broader package of “against corrupt individuals” in Guatemala.
He stressed that this is the most recent action in the campaign of the United Kingdom Foreign Ministry, David Lammy, to combat corruption and “dirty money throughout the world, global threats that undermine the foundations of free and democratic societies.”
“In Guatemala, the United Kingdom is still deeply concerned about the continuous attempts to undermine the government of Bernardo Arévalo by corrupt actors linked to the previous administration,” he said.
The United Kingdom added that among the members of the “corrupt pact” facing sanctions are the former president of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei, Miguel Martínez close to the ex -president, and the prosecutor Porras.
“During his term, Giammattei benefited from important acts of corruption, including the re -election of batons to persecute their political rivals and undermine anti -corruption research,” according to the United Kingdom.
He added: “Porras and their collaborators achieved this undermining the operational independence of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity and processing journalists, lawyers and judges. Porras also tried million ”.
The United Kingdom affirmed that “Porras and the Corrupt Pact have used their power as a weapon against Guatemalan journalists who have tried to demand responsibilities. This led to the closing of the renowned research newspaper El Periódico and the imprisonment of its founder, after an investigation into a bribe of a Russian mining company to former president Giammattei in exchange for favorable exploration licenses and access to ports.”
What does the sanction imply
People affected by the sanctions will be subject to prohibitions of travel and freezing of assets, which will deny the entrance to the United Kingdom and prevent them from maintaining funds or economic resources in the United Kingdom and their overseas territories, according to the shared information.
The United Kingdom stressed that it supports the Guatemalans in the defense of democracy and the rule of law, and “against whom these principles despise to obtain personal benefits.”
List of sanctioned
- Alejandro Giammattei, former president of Guatemala;
- María Consuelo Porras, Attorney General of Guatemala;
- José Curruchiche, head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity
- Cinthia Monterroso, Prosecutor and Head of Unity of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity
- Ángel Pineda, general secretary of the Public Ministry
- Melvin Quijivix, former director of the National Electrification Institute
- Miguel Martínez, associate of Giammattei and former head of the Government Center.