CICIG - The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala
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At the forum "Young and Committed", Commissioner Iván Velásquez called upon the youth to join forces in fighting impunity.

PRESS RELEASE 046

PRESIDENT STRESSES CONTRIBUTION OF COMMISSIONER TO FIGHT AGAINST IMPUNITY

Guatemala, August 22, 2013. At the presentation of the sixth report on activities of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), the President of the Republic, Otto Pérez Molina, acknowledged and praised the work undertaken by Commissioner Francisco Dall'Anese Ruiz in Guatemala to reduce impunity levels during his three years at the helm of CICIG. The tenure of the Commissioner will end on September 2.

The presentation was attended by President of the Republic Otto Pérez Molina, Minister of the Interior Mauricio López Bonilla, Attorney General Claudia Paz y Paz, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Guatemala Valerie Julliand and Commissioner Francisco Dall'Anese Ruiz.

"As President of the Republic of Guatemala, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Francisco Dall'Anese for the dedication, experience and leadership he has shown while at the helm of CICIG. There has been criticism levelled at CICIG, but, as he said, when that happens—especially as far as the justice sector is concerned—it is a sign that things are being done correctly. Therefore, we are grateful for the effort and sacrifice he has made," said the President.

In his address, the Commissioner stated: "Allow me to thank all those individuals who have criticised the Commission and sought to damage the public image of the institution and the Commissioner, because in any prosecution office of the world, it would be taken as a sign of success. When mafiosi, criminals and accomplices criticise efforts to eradicate impunity in a country, we, as prosecutors, take it to be an achievement, because if they attack us, it is a sign that we are hitting home with our efforts."

The President expressed his confidence in the work that the Commission will conduct over the coming two years, in particular in the area of skills transfer to Guatemalan justice administration organizations.

The President also acknowledged the efforts of the judicial bodies, because, with the Commission's support, high-impact cases have been investigated and taken before the courts. "With CICIG, we have achieved rapid progress in the justice sector over the six years it has operated in the country. Without its support, we would have taken longer to solve such cases," added the President.

Transformation
The Attorney General indicated that, with the support of CICIG, the justice system has been transformed: investigations progress more efficiently and Guatemalans have more belief in the capacity of the institutions to resolve cases.

"The Commission's contribution has been a key part of this transformation and in improving justice. It has been shown that egregious crimes can be solved through criminal investigations that respect human rights," she said.

She mentioned that among the contributions made by CICIG this year is the strengthening of different departments of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP), such as the Analysis Unit, where criminal phenomena are assessed to understand how criminal networks operate, with a view to dismantling them.

The Attorney General highlighted that another legacy of the Commission was the support provided in the Pavón-Infiernito investigation, whereby a number of criminals were sentenced for murdering inmates. "The sentence sent a message out that no public official or citizen can violate the rule of law, because the justice system protects us all, even individuals who break the law." Therefore, she thanked the Commissioner for the support shown to the MP in progressing with and solving cases during his tenure at CICIG.

Falling impunity
In his address, the Commissioner emphasized that the support of CICIG towards the justice institutions has fostered a reduction in Guatemalan impunity levels. He added that CICIG couldn’t solve all the country's problems, because it proposes public policies, but the political bodies of Guatemala must agree to implement them. Suggestions are made regarding administrative improvements for the justice institutions, but it is the responsibility of members of Congress to pass them. Accused individuals and evidence are brought before courts of law, but judges must rule to convict or release an individual.

The Commissioner underlined the fact that the majority of cases in which CICIG has participated have been won in court, with sentences passed down, and at present, training programmes for public officials are underway and skills are being transferred to justice institutions.

He thanked the support shown by the President and the Attorney General towards his work during the three years he has served as Commissioner.


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  The Republic of Guatemala, a mountainous country that lies in the Central American isthmus, has an estimated population of 13 million people.
  Guatemala won its independence in 1821, following almost three centuries of Spanish colonial rule.
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