SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS IVÁN VELÁSQUEZ GÓMEZ OF COLOMBIA AS COMMISSIONER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION AGAINST IMPUNITY IN GUATEMALA

New York, 31 August 2013. The Secretary-General announced today the appointment of Iván Velásquez Gómez of Colombia as Commissioner of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), established under an agreement between the United Nations Organization and the State of Guatemala that entered into force on 4 September 2007.

Mr. Velásquez succeeds outgoing Commissioner Francisco Dall’Anese of Costa Rica, who served at CICIG’s helm for three years. The Secretary-General takes this opportunity to express his appreciation to Mr. Dall’Anese for his deep commitment to the fight against impunity and efforts to strengthen Guatemala’s justice institutions.

Mr. Velásquez has a distinguished legal career as a former auxiliary magistrate of Colombia’s Supreme Court, where he coordinated high-profile investigations into links between paramilitary groups and public officials. Mr. Velásquez also has extensive prosecutorial and investigative experience in Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office and as Regional Director of the Public Prosecutor’s office covering the Department of Antioquia.