The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, on Wednesday deplored the intimidation, reprisals and harassment by the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office against former officials who fought «corruption» associated with the construction company Odebrecht, among them the current Colombian Minister of Defense, Iván Veláquez.
«It is dramatic, given Guatemala’s history, that those who fight for accountability for serious human rights violations are now being persecuted,» he said, adding that attacks against people who are dedicated to fighting corruption are «worrisome,» according to a statement.
Guatemala’s Attorney General’s Office announced that it would take action against Veláquez for alleged corrupt activities during his time at the International Commission against Impunity (CICIG). In response, the Colombian Executive responded by recalling its ambassador to the Guatemalan capital for consultations.
The High Commissioner, while not naming Veláquez directly, does note that on January 16 the Attorney General’s Office announced arrest warrants for three people, one of them a staff member of CICIG, a UN-backed body charged with investigating corruption offenses.
«These judicial processes and the lack of due process undermine the rule of law throughout the country,» Turk said. He also called on Guatemalan authorities to «strengthen and guarantee the independence of the justice system».
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
