US Has 'Lost Confidence' in Guatemala's Commitment to Fight Corruption - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th July, 2021) The United States does not have confidence anymore in the Guatemalan government to fight corruption after the country's attorney general fired the chief anti-corruption special prosecutor on Friday, US State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter said.

"Guatemala Attorney General Consuelo Porras' July 23 decision to remove Special Prosecutor Against Impunity, or FECI, Chief Juan Francisco Sandoval fits a pattern of behavior that indicates a lack of commitment to the rule of law, and independent judicial and prosecutorial processes. As a result, we have lost confidence in the Attorney General and their decision and intention to cooperate with the US government and fight corruption in good faith," Porter said on Tuesday.

The United States has made it clear to the Guatemalan government that fighting corruption is essential to the shared goals of strengthening the rule of law, increasing economic opportunity and addressing the root causes of irregular migration, she said.

Although the decision to remove Sandoval is within the official authority of Porras, the United States is concerned with the implications of that decision, Porter also said..

Washington will be watching closely to see if the Guatemalan government takes any further actions to undermine the rule of law or judicial independence in the country, Ported added.