The Guatemalan president tries to protect his status after the alleged cases of corruption

The president of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, would have felt cornered by corruption allegations of illicit electoral financing against him promoted by the Prosecutor's Office and the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). For that reason, he determined last Friday 31 August to expel CICIG from Guatemala.

Leer en español: Guatemala: Los motivos de Jimmy Morales para expulsar a la CICIG

According to El País, on the same day of the announcement, neighbors of the headquarters of the CICIG reported that in the morning armed vehicles of the Army passed in a threatening manner in front of the commission's facilities. They also reported that during the same week a kind of organization was formed to give green light to the process of depriving the president of immunity. All this triggered the appearance of Morales, surrounded by soldiers and demonstrating his already known position.

The same media adds that the prestige gained by CICIG in Guatemalan society meant that the so-called pro-government group, the corrupt pact, did not succeed in its attempt to discredit it with its chief of mission, the Colombian Iván Velásquez. Recent surveys indicated that the acceptance of CICIG is 70%, while that of Morales did not reach even 20%. Something unthinkable for someone who was elected by overwhelming majority in December 2016 and who today only seems to have his military forces and the pastors of the neo-Pentecostal church on his side.

BBC added the importance of the commission created by the UN more than ten years ago. It stressed that the valuation is high because the results have been seen taking presidents, former presidents, senior officials, businessmen, and drug traffickers to trial for corruption offenses. The same CICIG was key in the victory of Morales, because together they took to prison former President Otto Pérez Molina, for corruption and embezzlement of public funds.

As a justification for his decision, Morales argued that since CICIG has been in the country for more than 10 years, it has been enough time for it to "have fulfilled the fundamental objectives" of the Guatemalan government's agreement with the United Nations, according to BBC . However, the popularity of the president, a neo-evangelical without political experience who came to power under the slogan "neither corrupt nor thief," broke down.

The reactions were swift

The Human Rights Ombudsman, Jordan Rodas described the event as a "intimidating huge presence", according to the website Strategy Institute, which adds that with the decision of Morales, all international officials of the CICIG, including Velásquez, no longer have a visa of resident in that country.

The media also said that just a year ago, Morales declared Velásquez a "persona non grata", ordering him to leave the country immediately. However, the Constitutional Court protected him with an injunction and the presidential order was without effect. Two days before, the CICIG together with the Public Ministry had requested the lifting of immunity to the Guatemalan president.

The keys to the decision

The Soy 502 portal highlighted what, in its opinion, are the six keys that motivated Morales' decision.

1. The non-renewal of the mandate of the CICIG, which may only remain for one more year in the country, with a deadline of September 3 of next year, but transferring its functions to the Public Prosecutor's Office.

2. Signals to CICIG . Morales did not mention Velásquez, but it is believed that the President referred to Velásquez when he said that members of the commission violated Guatemala's law "by inducing people and institutions to commit acts of corruption and impunity."

3. Selective and ideological justice. The president admitted reprisals against the CICIG for interfering with the United Nations (UN). According to the president, it was "selective criminal prosecution and evident ideological bias, sowing judicial terror in Guatemala. Selective justice has been used to intimidate and terrorize citizens".

4. UN responsibility. According to Morales, the UN did not act in good faith on the issue, which also motivated his decision. "This decision is a step forward in the strengthening of our institutions".

5. Statements in social networks. The president entered IGNORE INTO the sterile discussion that dominated social networks in recent days in Guatemala. His first provocative tweet was "we are not obligated to abide by illegal orders".

"The illicit electoral financing is the original sin of Guatemalan democracy, it is the gateway to the vicious circle of corruption." pic.twitter.com/48EkQVVKAj

– CICIG Guatemala (@CICIGgt) May 9, 2018

6 Finally, the government support, so necessary to make a decision of this nature. Morales made his announcement in company of the Vice President Jafeth Cabrera and the Ministers, Enrique Degenhart, Sandra Jovel, and Luis Ralda. Other officials of the Army and the PNC formed behind him.

LatinAmerican Post Onorfre Zambrano
Translated from "Guatemala: Los motivos de Jimmy Morales para expulsar a la CICIG"