The President of the Republic is not obliged to choose attorney general from a list that does not meet the constitutional and legal requirements, the OAS warned this Wednesday, April 15, which urged that the list of six candidates include suitable profiles not only for academic merits, but also for their honorability, independence and commitment to the rule of law.
The head of the Special Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) for the Strengthening of Democratic Institutions in Guatemala, Carlos Ayala, stressed during an interview on Prensa Libre Radio that the main responsibility falls on the Nomination Commission, which must guarantee that the six people included in the final list that will be sent to President Bernardo Arévalo meet not only academic and professional merits, but also a comprehensive profile in line with the high responsibility of the position.
“Those six people who are going to present must meet the requirements not only meritocratic, but also the profile requirements for the position,” he explained.
The head of the mission indicated that this profile must include elements such as honorability, independence and commitment to the rule of law, aspects that – as he noted – cannot be evaluated solely based on rating tables or quantitative criteria.
Ayala stated that, in the event that the list does not meet these standards, the president is not obliged to proceed with the election.
“In the event, which we hope does not happen, that this is not the case, a president cannot be forced to choose from a list of ineligible people,” he stated.
He added that, in this scenario, there is an obligation to return the payroll so that it can be integrated again in accordance with the Constitution and the law, which would allow deficiencies in the selection of candidates to be corrected.
Meetings with authorities
The statements come after a series of meetings held by the OAS mission with different actors in the country, including President Bernardo Arévalo and deputies of the Congress of the Republic.
According to Ayala, in these meetings the importance of the election process guaranteeing transparency, traceability and duly motivated decisions was addressed, so that citizens can understand the reasons behind the selection of the candidates.
In Congress, the mission also spoke with the Judicial Affairs Commission about the need to strengthen the mechanisms for selecting authorities in the justice sector and move towards reforms that improve the system.
Likewise, the head of the mission pointed out that there is a general perception in different political and social sectors that the current model has limitations and requires adjustments, especially in relation to the operation of the nomination commissions.
Field observation
The OAS mission has directly monitored the process, including participation as observers in sessions of the nomination commission and in official events such as the swearing-in of authorities.
Ayala explained that, in addition to the final report, they have issued partial statements and recommendations with the aim of influencing the development of the process in real time and not limiting themselves to a subsequent evaluation.
In this context, he reiterated that one of the main concerns is the lack of justification in some decisions, particularly in the formation of lists of candidates, where the criteria used to include or exclude candidates are not always explained.
Call to strengthen institutions
Finally, Ayala indicated that the process of electing the attorney general is key to the country’s democratic institutions, due to the role played by the Public Ministry in criminal prosecution and guaranteeing the rule of law.
He noted that the mission seeks to contribute to the process generating confidence in citizens and laying the foundations for future reforms that strengthen the independence and transparency of the justice system in Guatemala.
With information from Carlos Gómez and Oscar Vásquez
The OAS Special Mission in Guatemala held a meeting with the President of the Republic, within the framework of its fourth visit to the country, to exchange information on the institutional processes concluded and those under development, as well as on the… pic.twitter.com/Jhmo8NZ9nv
— OAS (@OAS_oficial) April 16, 2026
🔴LIVE | Follow the interview of Carlos Ayala, Head of the Special Mission of the @OAS_official in Guatemala, #OASGuatemalaMission 🇬🇹, in @prensa_libre Radio, where he will share some observations and details of the fourth visit of the Special Mission.
— OAS (@OAS_oficial) April 15, 2026
Listen to the interview with members of the OAS Special Mission to Strengthen Democratic Institutions in #Guatemala Now #live in https://t.co/KoAeIHBkbl pic.twitter.com/LcCegNxqUa
— OAS (@OAS_oficial) April 15, 2026
#Congress | The Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) highlights the need for reforms to the justice system in Guatemala, after meetings with the Judicial Affairs Commission of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala.
They point out that the changes must focus… pic.twitter.com/GAllEApkC7
— Oscar Vásquez Mijangos (@oa_vasquezz) April 15, 2026
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