As part of the investigation being carried out by the Public Ministry into Human Trafficking concerning the Lev Tahor case, the Attorney General of the Republic and Chief of the Public Ministry, Mrs. María Consuelo Porras Argueta, held a meeting with Alon Lavi, the Ambassador of the State of Israel to Guatemala, and his delegation.

Both parties agreed to create a specialized prosecutorial team dedicated to handling the case, which will be key to the ongoing investigation. This team’s objective is to establish an open line of communication with the involved authorities, ensuring the protection of the children and adolescents under care.

The Attorney General stated that efforts are still underway to identify the children, as their biological parents have not yet been established and they lack identification documents.

As a result, DNA tests will be conducted to determine their biological parents, followed by obtaining statements from them.

Additionally, Mrs. Nancy Lorena Paiz García, head of the Human Trafficking Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed that the four children who escaped from the sect provided testimony, and only one of them agreed to undergo a forensic examination to clarify the events.

The Israeli diplomats affirmed that there is no excuse for any illegality within the Lev Tahor community and reiterated their commitment to cooperating with the Public Ministry in the ongoing investigations.

Also attending the meeting were Mr.  Erick Eduardo Schaeffer Cabrera, First Deputy Secretary General; Dimas Jiménez y Jiménez, Metropolitan Regional Prosecutor; Nancy Lorena Paiz García, head of the Human Trafficking Prosecutor’s Office; and Juan Luis Pantaleón González, Senior Advisor.

From the Embassy of Israel, Ambassador Lavi was accompanied by Consul Jonatán Bijman and Vice Consul Ronza Yousif, as well as Dr. Tal Adiv, Psychiatrist Director, and officials Ilan Sharif, Jacob Friedberg, Anat Binder Giladi, Amir Cohen, Merav Marks, and Yaron Eliashiv.

Guatemala, January 7, 2025