Torres Slams Latest Attempts to Undermine Rule of Law in Guatemala

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-CA), co-chair of the Central America Caucus, issued the following statement in reaction to recent efforts to undermine U.S. support for the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG):

“In recent years, CICIG, working closely with Guatemalan police and prosecutors, has put many powerful people behind bars. As a result, CICIG has made many enemies, who have tried at every turn to smear CICIG and its leadership. CICIG’s enemies have repeatedly visited Washington, even paying $80,000 a month to a D.C. lobbying firm, in a cynical attempt to undermine U.S. support for CICIG. It would be a grave mistake, however, to give into these efforts and allow corrupt politicians and crime bosses in Guatemala to dictate our Central America policy.         

“We cannot lose sight of why CICIG is so important. CICIG has helped to prosecute previously untouchable corrupt officials and criminal actors in Guatemala, trained an entire generation of prosecutors and police investigators, and presided over the professionalization of Guatemala’s public prosecutor’s office. CICIG’s work has led to real and measurable results: in particular, the steady reduction of Guatemala’s homicide rate in the past several years. This stands in stark contrast to Guatemala’s neighbors, especially El Salvador and Honduras.

“That is why Congress has long supported CICIG on a bipartisan basis. To cite just one example, last year the House of Representatives unanimously approved my amendment to protect CICIG funding from conditionality.  The United States Congress must continue to support CICIG, because we simply cannot afford to turn back the very real progress that has been made in Guatemala. Why would anyone want to undermine one of Central America’s best success stories, and risk seeing Guatemala descend into instability and lawlessness? If that happens, we could very well see a new wave of Guatemalan migration to the United States.”

Torres is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Rules Committee. Last year, the bipartisan resolution she introduced with Rep. John R. Moolenaar (R-MI) to reaffirm the United States Congress’s commitment to fighting corruption in Central America was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives. The resolution states that efforts to fight corruption must remain at the center of U.S. policy in Central America, that the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH) and CICIG are important contributions to these efforts, and that the governments of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador should cooperate with MACCIH and CICIG and the Attorneys General of the region.

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