Police and prosecutors carry out operations against child labor exploitation in Guatemala

The Unit against Labor Exploitation of the Prosecutor's Office against Trafficking in Persons, in coordination with the Metropolitan Regional Prosecutor's Office and the National Civil Police, executed eight raids in San Miguel Petapa, Villa Canales and zone 11 of Guatemala City, as part of an operation aimed at combating child exploitation. According to the Public Ministry, as reported on its X account, the operation involved the participation of the institutions that make up the Inter-institutional Coordinator against Labor Exploitation and Child Labor (Cicelti). According to data provided by the authorities, three teenagers were rescued during the proceedings and were placed under the care of the Attorney General's Office. The intervened properties were located in strategic points of the municipalities of San Miguel Petapa and Villa Canales, as well as in zone 11 of the capital.

The police action included the arrest of Mary P. and Rosalía S., accused of the crime of employing minors in labor activities harmful to their integrity and dignity. According to the Public Ministry, both were placed at the disposal of the authorities to face the corresponding charges.

We recommend reading: The Prosecutor's Office against Human Trafficking indicated that the operations are part of a national strategy to identify and dismantle networks dedicated to child labor exploitation. The procedures were supported by the National Civil Police and the collaboration of different state entities.

During the proceedings, the multidisciplinary teams of Cicelti carried out inspections and interviews to determine the situation of the minors found in the raided premises.

Official sources indicated that the rescue process included the immediate evaluation of the physical and emotional state of the adolescents, who were transferred to a safe space under the supervision of the Attorney General's Office. Investigations are ongoing to establish the scope of the network and determine if there are more victims in other locations, according to official information released by Public Ministry of Guatemala.

Actions Regarding Reports of Labor Exploitation

The Guatemala protocol to address child labor exploitation establishes a route for reporting and immediate protection for children and adolescents in situations of forced labor. According to reports from the Organization of American States (OAS), the activation of the procedure begins with the receipt of the complaint before the National Civil Police (PNC), the Public Ministry (MP) or the Attorney General's Office (PGN), entities that must act in a coordinated manner to safeguard the integrity of minors. The Comprehensive Protection Law for Children and Adolescents (LPINA), in its article 66, supports the prohibition of employment for children under 14 years of age and only contemplates exceptions under strict regulation of the Labor Code. According to the PGN, complaints can be made to the PNC, the MP or the Peace Courts. Once the complaint is filed, the specialized prosecutor's office of the Public Ministry assumes the investigation and dictates protection measures to guarantee the well-being of the minor involved. The operations were carried out in San Miguel Petapa, Villa Canales and zone 11 of Guatemala City, areas identified by the Public Ministry as strategic points. (Public Ministry) The process includes the intervention of the PGN, responsible for restoring the rights violated to children and adolescents (NNA). The OAS points out that this institution plays an essential role in ensuring comprehensive protection within the current legal framework. As part of the protocol, the Ministry of Labor (MINTRAB) develops specific plans to remove minors from contexts of forced labor, in compliance with the international commitments signed by Guatemala. The Guatemalan Constitution, in its article 102, literal l, reinforces the prohibition of child labor, especially in activities considered unhealthy or dangerous for the formation and development of minors. In addition, the legislation establishes that no child under 14 years of age can be employed in any activity, except for the exceptions regulated by the Labor Code.