The International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG)

Overview

The International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) is a unique organization established in 2007 with the goal of investigating and prosecuting organized crime groups that have infiltrated the Guatemalan government and institutions.

Background

• The commission was created in response to public pressure following a series of high-profile crimes, including the murder of three Salvadoran members of the Central American Parliament.
• CICIG has received funding primarily from international donors, with major contributors being the U.S., Sweden, and European Commission.

Mandate and Priorities

• Initially, the commission focused on investigating organized crime groups.
• In 2014, CICIG shifted its focus towards corruption networks that underlie impunity for organized crime.
• The commission’s annual report outlined its new priorities:
  • Contraband
  • Administrative corruption
  • Illegal electoral financing
  • Corruption in the judiciary
  • Narcotics trafficking and money laundering

Investigations and Probes

• CICIG has also opened probes into other areas, including illicit financing of political organizations ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Tensions with the Government

• Over the years, tensions between the CICIG and the government have risen.
• In 2015, the government set up a board to evaluate the CICIG’s effectiveness and decided not to extend its mandate, citing concerns about the commission’s independence and effectiveness.
• The potential demise of the CICIG prompted the commission’s head, Thelma Aldana, to publish results of an investigation into a customs racket, using evidence gathered through phone taps sanctioned by new laws promoted by the CICIG.

Opposition

• The shift towards investigating pure corruption cases has prompted growing opposition from politicians and others who see it as an attempt to undermine the government.