Publicado el 27 Mayo 2025
Public Ministry and OSJUDEGUA Strengthen Joint Actions Against Crime
As part of the cooperation agreement signed between the Public Ministry of Guatemala and the Cambiemos por Guate Association, through the Observatory for Security, Justice, and Development of Guatemala (OSJUDEGUA), a high-level meeting was held in which the results of criminal incidence analyses were also presented.
The meeting was attended by:
- Mrs. María Consuelo Porras Argueta, Attorney General of the Republic and Chief of the Public Ministry
- Mr. Ángel Arnoldo Pineda Ávila, Secretary General
- Mr. Erick Schaeffer Cabrera and María Julia Juárez, Deputy Secretaries General
- Mr. Eduardo Mejía Calito, Secretary for International Affairs and Cooperation
- Mr. Miguel Estuardo Ávila, Secretary for Anti-Corruption
- Mr. Juan Luis Pantaleón, Advisor to the Office of the Attorney General
Representing OSJUDEGUA were:
- Mr. Carlos Soto Menegazzo, Director
- Mr. Luis Miguel Ralda, Director
- Mr. Gustavo Méndez, Director
- Mr. Enrique Degenhart, Executive Director
This strategic alliance reaffirms the institutional commitment to evidence-based management, transparency, and intersectoral collaboration
“Crime Zero”: Technology and Intelligence Applied to Justice
During her remarks, the Attorney General thanked OSJUDEGUA for creating a technical and responsible space for dialogue focused on institutional strengthening. She emphasized that the meeting represents a concrete step forward in the implementation of the cooperation agreement, whose objective has been clear from the outset:
“To establish a collaborative mechanism to generate, share, and disseminate statistical analyses that allow for a deeper understanding of the criminal phenomenon in Guatemala.”
In his address, the Secretary General of the Public Ministry, Mr. Ángel Arnoldo Pineda Ávila, highlighted the significance of the Delito Cero (“Crime Zero”) platform, launched in November 2024.
He explained that the tool enables the identification and analysis of crime patterns through heat maps, disaggregated statistics by municipality, zone, and time of day, as well as indicators per 100,000 inhabitants.
Built using data provided by over 600 prosecutorial units nationwide, Crime Zero provides monthly updated data, accessible to both the public and security institutions.
Thanks to this technical and reliable database, the Public Ministry coordinates weekly operations across the country, targeting the reduction of high-impact crimes such as homicides, robberies, and assaults.
“The wave of violence affecting our country must not be downplayed or confused with perception. This violence harms families, communities, and all of Guatemala—and the Public Ministry responds with real, effective, and forceful action,” stated the Secretary General.
During the meeting, participants also emphasized the need to address the structural causes of violence from a comprehensive perspective, promoting prevention, education, and the strengthening of social cohesion as essential pillars to complement the criminal justice response.
The event concluded with the presentation of the criminal incidence analysis conducted by OSJUDEGUA, which highlighted the essential role of citizens in building a more accessible, efficient, and participatory system of justice.
Among the topics addressed by the association were:
- Public health
- National infrastructure
- Migration
- Citizen security
OSJUDEGUA is a citizen-led observatory made up of national and international professionals and experts committed to the development of Guatemala. Its mission is to generate learning, understanding, and informed public opinion at both the national and international levels on key issues for the country.
The Public Ministry reaffirms its constitutional mandate to pursue justice with firmness, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to Guatemalan society.
📺 Watch the full session here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/live/dDl1MR5u2Gs?si=jShSMiO23-bPQA6L
Guatemala, May 27, 2025