Publicado el 03 Junio 2025
Odebrecht Case: Public Ministry of Guatemala Reports Progress in the Investigation Titled “Fraudulent Agreements, Corruption, and Impunity
In the ongoing investigation of the Odebrecht case, the Third Chamber of the Criminal Appeals Court of Guatemala, acting upon the request of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI), issued arrest warrants against nine individuals—former officials of FECI and the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).
Within this framework, Attorney Rafael Curruchiche, Section Prosecutor of FECI, conducted a press conference to present the progress of the investigative phase denominated “Fraudulent Agreements, Corruption, and Impunity,” which he characterized as one of the most serious criminal schemes in the recent history of the region.
The prosecutor detailed that this investigative phase uncovered a systematic pattern of illicit conduct by former officials of CICIG and the Public Ministry during the prior administration. Contrary to their mandate to combat corruption, these actors became central figures in a corrupt scheme involving extortion, obstruction of justice, and judicial manipulation.
According to the evidence presented, these former officials suppressed, destroyed, or manipulated case files related to key actors involved in the Odebrecht case. This was not due to evidentiary insufficiency but was part of unlawful negotiations whereby they extorted money or political favors in exchange for impunity. Failure to comply with their demands resulted in the fabrication of criminal charges—many politically motivated—aimed at incarcerating, discrediting, or disqualifying their adversaries.
During their tenure, not only were critical evidentiary materials from the Odebrecht case and other high-profile proceedings destroyed, but foreign interests were permitted to infiltrate and influence the Guatemalan justice system.
The investigation established that the former leadership of FECI, headed by ex-prosecutor Juan Francisco Sandoval Alfaro, based its prosecutorial strategy on plea agreements entered into with the following Odebrecht executives:
- Luis Antonio Mameri
- Marcos de Cerqueira Lima Machado
- Eduardo Oliveira Gedeón
- José Carlos Probes Farias
These agreements, rather than facilitating the elucidation of facts, served to deliberately exclude national actors and confer illicit benefits upon individuals implicated in the investigation, in violation of Guatemalan statutory provisions.
Moreover, FECI has documented that during the operation of the now-defunct CICIG, there was an overreach of legal authority that compromised the independence of the Public Ministry and undermined the legality of judicial proceedings.
These illicit practices not only compromised the integrity of judicial processes but also obstructed victims’ access to truth and justice.
The Public Ministry reaffirms its unwavering commitment to legality, due process, and transparency. The Odebrecht case epitomizes not only a transnational corruption scheme but also a paradigm of concealment and judicial manipulation that gravely compromised the institutional framework of justice in Guatemala.
The Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity will continue the pertinent investigations and undertake all necessary legal actions to ensure that all individuals implicated, without exception, are held accountable before the Guatemalan judicial system.
Guatemala City, June 3, 2025