The Attorney General of the Republic and Chief of the Public Ministry (PM), Mrs. María Consuelo Porras Argueta, met with Margaret Satterthwaite, UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers of the United Nations Human Rights Council, during her official visit to the country.

The meeting was arranged due to the Special Rapporteur’s interest in engaging directly with the Attorney General and obtaining official insights regarding the independence of the judicial system in Guatemala and the role of the Public Ministry.

Also present at the meeting were:

• Angel Arnoldo Pineda Ávila, Secretary General
• Erick Eduardo Schaeffer Cabrera, First Deputy Secretary General
• Dimas Jiménez, Metropolitan Regional Prosecutor
• Miguel Estuardo Ávila Vásquez, Anti-Corruption Secretary
• Eduardo Mejía Calito, Secretary of International Affairs and Cooperation
• Melvin Giovanni Portillo Arévalo, Secretary of Criminal Policy

Additional participants included:

• Abdi Ariel Guerra Guzmán, Director of Criminal Analysis
• Otto René Santizo Santizo, Coordinator of the Integrated IT System
• Juan Luis Pantaleón, Senior Advisor
• Rosa Martínez, Head of the Case Department, Criminal Analysis Directorate
• Prosecutors from the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity and regional prosecutors

From the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Guatemala:

• Mika Kanervavuori, Country Representative
• Francisco Alonzo, Human Rights Officer

In her address, Mrs. Porras Argueta emphasized that the meeting was held as part of the Public Ministry’s open-door and transparency policy, reaffirming the institution’s autonomy and constitutional responsibilities.

She also highlighted the efforts made under her leadership to bring justice closer to the Guatemalan people, including the creation of specialized prosecutorial offices and agencies across the country.

The Attorney General urged the Special Rapporteur to objectively consider the testimonies of the present officials, who spoke about systematic attacks against the institution. She also referenced a 2023 request made to Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), seeking protection for threatened officials—a request that remains unanswered.

Mrs. Porras Argueta stressed that all investigations conducted by the Public Ministry aim to guarantee the rule of law, democracy, and the rights of victims. She reiterated that the MP is a technical, non-political entity whose primary function is the criminal prosecution and investigation of public offenses.

Following the Rapporteur’s proposed agenda, Secretary Erick Schaeffer addressed the constitutional and legal duties of the Public Ministry, emphasizing that its work is also grounded in the protection of human rights. He stated that the MP is accountable to crime victims and operates in an objective and impartial manner, with the authority to investigate any individual—no one is above the law.

Melvin Portillo, Secretary of Criminal Policy, presented a timeline detailing the various and systematic attacks by the current administration against the Attorney General, section prosecutors, and other officials. He pointed out that these actions clearly aim to interfere with the PM’s investigative work for personal political interests.

Meanwhile, Regional Prosecutor Dimas Jiménez discussed the daily prosecutorial efforts, highlighting the ongoing initiatives to deliver justice to the people of Guatemala.

Margaret Satterthwaite expressed her gratitude to Mrs. Porras Argueta and her team for accepting the meeting and for sharing detailed information on the institution’s work. She indicated that her general findings would be included in a report scheduled for publication in June 2026.

Finally, Secretary General Angel Pineda reiterated that Guatemala’s justice system is designed to protect crime victims, and that the Public Ministry’s actions are validated by other institutions involved in judicial processes, thereby ensuring the protection of human rights for all parties involved.

Guatemala, May 14, 2025