Spanish
Gabriel Estuardo García Luna will assume as the new Attorney General of Guatemala, in an appointment promoted by President Bernardo Arévalo de León, before which the Organization of American States (OAS) urged this Wednesday the official, appointed in a context of high tension due to accusations of political and judicial persecution, to assume with an unequivocal commitment to the autonomy of the Public Ministry.
The Special Mission of the OAS for Guatemala, the body in charge of supervising democratic observance in the country, made a public call to the new prosecutor to guarantee objectivity and impartiality; it stressed that the legitimacy of García Luna is not exhausted in his appointment, but must be strengthened through a reliable criminal investigation and prosecution in order to regain citizen confidence in justice, indicates the international news agency EFE.
García Luna will take office on May 17, after having been selected the previous Tuesday from a final shortlist of candidates. His arrival at the head of the Prosecutor's Office comes amid complaints and alerts from national and international organizations about the use of justice as a tool for political pressure.
The statement from the OAS emphasized: The Mission calls for an end to practices of criminal instrumentalization and undue criminalization that have affected justice operators, journalists, human rights defenders, elected authorities, indigenous leaders, and civic actors.
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Guatemala's President, Bernardo Arévalo de León, on Tuesday chose García Luna as the new Attorney General and head of the Public Ministry for the period 2026-2030, replacing Consuelo Porras Argueta, sanctioned for corruption by the United States and the European Union. (Courtesy: Social Media)The Appointment, the Political Context, and the Reactions
The transition in the Public Prosecutor's Office will take place after the management of Consuelo Porras, who was sanctioned by the United States and the European Union under accusations of corruption and obstructing democracy. The OAS highlighted the importance of the transfer being "orderly and peaceful." The organization called for avoiding any delaying maneuver or institutional resistance that could prolong the crisis in the organization.With a career of 29 years in the Judicial Branch, García Luna has held positions from court secretary to magistrate of the Chamber in criminal matters. In addition, he has experience as a university professor and judicial instructor. According to social organizations dedicated to the defense of human rights and legal experts interviewed by the EFE agency, the new prosecutor has a relevant career in the sector to face the challenges presented to President Arévalo.
The context in which the new prosecutor will take office is characterized by strong pressure from the international community, including the United States and the European Union, and from national civil society, to reverse the criminalization of the press, the persecution of indigenous leaders, and the harassment of justice operators. The OAS reiterated that only management based on transparency and objectivity will allow the population's trust in judicial institutions to be restored. FILE - A protester carries a sign of rejection against the Attorney General, Consuelo Porras, outside her institution in a mobilization in support of the electoral process in Guatemala City, July 14, 2023. Up to three times, Porras has requested that the immunity of the newly sworn-in President Bernardo Arévalo be removed and has denounced that the elections should be annulled for alleged electoral fraud.
