The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala reorganized its operations amid the crisis triggered by the Jimmy Morales administration’s decision to prevent Commissioner Iván Velásquez from returning. Under this structure, Loreto Ferrer Moreu was put in charge of operational coordination and institutional communications in the country.
The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) went through one of the most delicate phases of its history when, in September, then-President of Guatemala Jimmy Morales barred Commissioner Iván Velásquez from entering the country.
The decision came amid intense institutional tension, following the CICIG’s launch of high-profile corruption investigations. The measure sparked national and international reactions and necessitated a redefinition of the Commission’s operations to ensure the continuity of its work in Guatemala.
Reorganization of the CICIG in Guatemala
In light of this situation, the United Nations designated Iván Velásquez to remain at the helm of the CICIG and created an operational framework designed to keep the mission active in the country. Under this structure, Loreto Ferrer took charge of managing operational coordination and institutional communications in Guatemala, while Velásquez continued directing the Commission from abroad.
The reorganization sought to preserve the commissioner’s authority while maintaining an operational presence on Guatemalan soil during a particularly sensitive time for the institution. Both Velásquez and Ferrer were in Washington conducting institutional business when the entry ban took effect. Ferrer was able to return to Guatemala and assume that role on the ground.
Days later, Guatemala’s Attorney General, Consuelo Porras, requested a meeting with Loreto Ferrer to learn about the Commission’s representation structue. As the CICIG later reported, during that meeting the institutional arrangement adopted to ensure the continuity of the work was explained.
At this point, the role assumed by Ferrer was linked to the day-to-day coordination of the Commission’s operations in Guatemala and the continuity of its institutional communications, within a particularly complex political and judicial landscape.
Instead of altering the agency’s formal leadership, the arrangement was crafted to keep its operations running in the country while preserving its essential mandate and avoiding any disruption to its principal areas of work.
The Role of CICIG and Its Crucial Importance for Guatemala
Iván Velásquez’s ongoing term as commissioner ensures that the CICIG’s overarching mandate stays intact, concentrating on backing the Public Prosecutor’s Office, offering technical support for intricate investigations, and advancing institutional reforms tied to combating corruption and impunity.
Created in 2007 through an agreement between the Government of Guatemala and the United Nations, the CICIG was conceived as a mechanism to support the Guatemalan state in investigating criminal structures infiltrating public institutions, strengthening the capacities of the justice system, and promoting reforms oriented toward the rule of law.
Throughout its history, the Commission has been led by three commissioners. The first was the Spanish jurist Carlos Castresana, followed by the Costa Rican Francisco Dall’Anese. Subsequently, Iván Velásquez took the helm during a period marked by cases of significant public impact and by a growing confrontation with political sectors affected by the investigations.
An institutional solution in the face of exceptional circumstances
The reorganization adopted following the ban on Velásquez’s entry did not alter the nature of the CICIG’s mandate, but it did highlight the need to adapt its operations to an exceptional situation.
Given this, the presence of Loreto Ferrer in Guatemala proved essential for maintaining the Commission’s institutional functions during a period marked by heightened political and judicial sensitivity.
