Stories from Guatemala

Amnesty International has designated Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán as prisoners of conscience. The two men are former representatives of the 48 cantons of Totón and Capán. They have been imprisoned for over one year.

Emiliano Valdes Melendreras has been appointed as the new Vice Minister of Culture.

The Guatemalan Council of Ministers has vetoed a law intended to prevent sexual abuse. The Executive branch cited unconstitutionality within the proposed legislation as the reason for the veto. The decision was confirmed via the Diario Oficial.

A third-instance appeal has been filed against former mayor Víctor of Santa Catarina Pinula.

They stated that for two years and nine months, the defense was not permitted to present evidence. The tenth court, acting as the first instance, reportedly rejected the majority of defense evidence.

Guatemalan deputies have failed to reach an agreement to approve a new anti-money laundering law.

The sanctions follow allegations of halting judicial prosecution against former prosecutors, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders. Porras faces the challenge of demonstrating that the Attorney General's Office can operate as an autonomous institution.

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo de Leon has appointed Garcia Luna to lead the country's criminal prosecution entity. This appointment ends the eight-year tenure of current prosecutor Consuelo Porras. Porras has previously faced sanctions from the United States.

Gabriel Estuardo García Luna has been appointed as the new Attorney General of Guatemala.