CICIG PRESENTS REPORT REQUESTED BY NOMINATING COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE FOR ELECTING ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC AND HEAD OF THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE

Guatemala, 9 April 2014. In response to the request for cooperation received from the Nominating Committee responsible for electing the Attorney General of the Republic, the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala—pursuant to its mandate—reports that it has prepared a report to facilitate the progress of the current election procedure.

In the report, CICIG proposes considerations regarding the profile for the position of Attorney General and strategic areas that should be addressed in the work plan of candidates. Furthermore, it provides information to be evaluated by the Nominating Committee on certain candidates.

The Nominating Committee could build on the information contained in the report by using methods such as the public and oral interviewing of candidates. The Commission hopes that the members of the Nominating Committee will reason their votes, taking into consideration factors such as the background of candidates, work plans and the analysis of challenges and evidence for the defence of such challenges.

The Nominating Committee must grade candidates and determine whether they meet capacity, specialization, suitability and proven honesty requirements and select professionally outstanding candidates to form part of the list of six nominations to be Attorney General.

The CICIG report is a contribution that compliments the information to be used by the Nominating Committee to comprehensively analyze the ethical, academic and professional merits of each candidate, in accordance with his or her background, work plan, accepted challenges and evidence for the defence, requested information and its other evaluation methods, such as interviews and psychometric testing.

Information on candidates
CICIG requested information on the 26 candidates from the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP); bodies responsible for administrative/disciplinary oversight of the MP, the Judiciary (OJ) and the Institute of Public Defense; the Human Rights Ombudsman; the Constitutional Court (CC); and the Comptroller General's Office.

CICIG also processed information obtained through its participation and provision of technical support in certain criminal cases and other cases brought to its attention and through the contribution of civil society organizations.

The report includes objective, verifiable information on a number of candidates in relation to the following:

• Criminal complaints registered in the IT Control System of Case Management of the MP that can be verified by case files—under investigation, pending or in litigation—where the candidates are listed as accused parties.
• Administrative/disciplinary complaints.
• Complaints resolved by a moral penalty of the Human Rights Ombudsman.
• Outstanding fines before the Constitutional Court for inadmissible legal appeals.
• Other information.

The report also includes information analysed by CICIG on the participation of candidates in criminal cases and public information casting doubt on a candidate's suitability for the position of Attorney General.