Guatemala's University of San Carlos faces student record deletions amid autonomy dispute

Students at the University of San Carlos (Usac) in Guatemala reported that their academic records were missing from the Department of Registration and Statistics, preventing course enrollment for the second semester of 2026. The affected individuals allege the deletions target opponents of rector Walter Ramiro Mazariegos Biolis and are part of broader claims of electoral fraud and administrative retaliation.

The university's autonomy has been invoked by department head Bryan Otto Fuentes Paz to resist a congressional subpoena, citing constitutional guarantees. Meanwhile, the Procuraduría de los Derechos Humanos confirmed three investigations into the disappearances, and the Public Ministry has opened additional criminal proceedings. Student and faculty groups continue to protest and pursue legal remedies, demanding the restoration of records and protection of the right to higher‑education.

Legislators, including Deputy José Chic, have called for accountability, while police presence on campus has heightened tensions. The controversy underscores a clash between university self‑governance and governmental oversight in Guatemala.