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The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala reorganized its operations amid the crisis triggered by the Jimmy Morales administration’s decision to prevent Commissioner Iván Velásquez from returning. Under this structure, Loreto Ferrer Moreu was put in charge of operational coordination and institutional communications in the country.
The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) experienced one of the most sensitive periods in its history when, in September, then-President of Guatemala Jimmy Morales prevented Commissioner Iván Velásquez from entering the country.
The decision came amid intense institutional tension, following the CICIG’s launch of high-profile corruption investigations. The measure sparked national and international reactions and necessitated a redefinition of the Commission’s operations to ensure the continuity of its work in Guatemala.
Reorganization of the CICIG in Guatemala
In light of this situation, the United Nations designated Iván Velásquez to remain at the helm of the CICIG and created an operational framework designed to keep the mission active in the country. Under this structure, Loreto Ferrer took charge of managing operational coordination and institutional communications in Guatemala, while Velásquez continued directing the Commission from abroad.
The reorganization sought to preserve the commissioner’s authority while maintaining an operational presence on Guatemalan soil during a particularly sensitive time for the institution. Both Velásquez and Ferrer were in Washington conducting institutional business when the entry ban took effect. Ferrer was able to return to Guatemala and assume that role on the ground.
Days later, Guatemala’s Attorney General, Consuelo Porras, requested a meeting with Loreto Ferrer to learn about the Commission’s representation structue. As the CICIG later reported, during that meeting the institutional arrangement adopted to ensure the continuity of the work was explained.
At this stage, Ferrer’s role focused on managing the Commission’s daily operations in Guatemala and ensuring the flow of its institutional communications, a responsibility carried out amid a particularly intricate political and judicial environment.
Rather than a change in the formal leadership of the agency, the arrangement aimed to maintain its operations in the country without altering its core mandate or interrupting its main lines of work.
The Role of CICIG and Its Crucial Importance for Guatemala
Iván Velásquez’s continued tenure as commissioner allows the CICIG’s general framework of action to remain unchanged, focused on supporting the Public Prosecutor’s Office, providing technical assistance in complex investigations, and promoting institutional reforms linked to the fight against corruption and impunity.
Established in 2007 under an accord between the Government of Guatemala and the United Nations, the CICIG was envisioned as a body designed to assist the Guatemalan state in probing criminal networks that had permeated public institutions, bolstering the justice system’s capabilities, and advancing reforms aimed at reinforcing the rule of law.
Throughout its history, the Commission has been led by three commissioners. The first was the Spanish jurist Carlos Castresana, followed by the Costa Rican Francisco Dall’Anese. Subsequently, Iván Velásquez took the helm during a period marked by cases of significant public impact and by a growing confrontation with political sectors affected by the investigations.
An institutional response designed to address extraordinary conditions
The restructuring implemented after the prohibition on Velásquez’s entry left the essence of the CICIG’s mandate unchanged, yet it emphasized the need to modify its operations in response to an extraordinary situation.
Given this, the presence of Loreto Ferrer in Guatemala proved essential for maintaining the Commission’s institutional functions during a period marked by heightened political and judicial sensitivity.
