Guatemala university rector Walter Mazariegos faces legal hurdles to assume office

President Bernardo Arévalo warned that Walter Mazariegos, the rector of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala (USAC), may be unable to take office on 1 July 2026 because he lacks a final settlement (financiero) and faces seventeen criminal complaints filed by the Public Ministry. The Contraloría General de Cuentas has also highlighted irregularities in USAC’s administration, including unaudit­ed purchases and alleged phantom positions, and has issued multiple findings that could lead to further legal action.

Arévalo said the university must resolve these issues through an institutional and lawful process to avoid heightened tensions. The pending audits and investigations cast doubt on the legitimacy of Mazariegos’ continued rectorship and have sparked broader concerns about governance and transparency at the nation’s historic public university.