Guatemala prosecutor office controversy

In August 2026 Guatemala’s Fiscalía General acknowledged that powerful groups had long controlled the institution, using it to shield corruption and target judges, journalists, human‑rights defenders and indigenous leaders. The admission referred to the tenure of former chief prosecutor Consuelo Porras, who left office in May after eight years. President Bernardo Arévalo appointed Gabriel García Luna as the new attorney general, who pledged to distance the office from past practices, adopt a policy centered on the rule of law, cooperate with the government to locate disappeared persons, and welcome continued monitoring by the Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights.

Later the same day, the Public Ministry announced that 17 magistrates – two from the Supreme Court and fifteen from appellate courts – are being treated as victims in an ongoing criminal investigation that began in 2024 after numerous threats. Attorney General García Luna explained that the probe originated under Porras and was used for political retaliation, noting that the ministry itself had been co‑opted during her term. The investigation now seeks to protect the judges while addressing the legacy of politicized prosecutions.