Security and Justice Sector Reform Project Quarterly Report (October 1 – December 31, 2016)

The Public Ministry and the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) led investigations, resulting in judicial procedures against at least 20 Congressional representatives and several high-ranking officials, including the brother and son of President Jimmy Morales. The Judicial Branch, responsible for processing these prosecutions, faced significant pressure. By the end of the quarter, high-risk judges had heard the first statements of the accused for the majority of these cases. Procedures to reclaim property acquired with money from corrupt acts had also begun. In October, Magistrate Blanca Stalling nominated Magistrate Silvia Patricia Valdés as the new President of the Supreme Court of Justice, despite concerns about her impartiality. This nomination was tied to the ongoing national debate on justice sector reform, which included a proposal for Constitutional Reform presented to Congress in the first quarter. The reform proposal, promoted by the coalition of the Public Ministry, CICIG, the Human Rights Ombudsman, and the Guatemalan Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, aimed to address issues such as impeachment procedures, judicial pluralism, and the separation of judicial and administrative functions in the Supreme Court of Justice. Although the proposal was rejected by Congress in November, the discussion on justice sector reform continued. The Security and Justice Sector Reform Project, funded by USAID, operated in this challenging environment. Despite the significant obstacles, the Project continued its activities, including short-term technical assistance efforts, monitoring and evaluation activities, and cross-cutting components such as communications and social outreach, security and justice sector activities fund, and rapid response fund. The Project's Lower Level Results focused on increasing state capacity to manage security and justice administration, providing security and justice for citizens, and cooperation with other organizations and donor agencies. The Project's activities aimed to support the Guatemalan government in its efforts to strengthen the justice sector and combat corruption. In the first quarter of its fifth fiscal year, the Project made progress in various areas, including training activities and events, gender integration, and monitoring and evaluation activities. The Project's efforts were focused on supporting the Guatemalan government in its efforts to strengthen the justice sector and combat corruption, despite the significant challenges posed by the ongoing corruption cases and the national debate on justice sector reform.