In July the US Department of State announced it was “pausing” cooperation with Guatemala’s attorney general’s office, citing a lack of confidence in its head, María Consuelo Porras [WR-21-30]. It has since gone a step further. Last week it sanctioned Porras for “obstructing investigations into acts of corruption by interfering with criminal investigations”. This piles further pressure on Porras, who already faced calls to resign following her dismissal of the internationally lauded head of the special anti-corruption unit (Feci) in the attorney general’s office, Juan Francisco Sandoval, in July. Both the dismissal of Sandoval and the subsequent bribery claims he made about President Alejandro Giammattei have already sparked major anti-government protests [WR-21-30]. The latest move by the US could provide further impetus to this discontent.End of preview - This article contains approximately 730 words.
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