Publicado el 17 Noviembre 2025
PM Presents Updates on the “UNOPS: Presidential Corruption” Case
The Section Prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (FECI), José Rafael Curruchiche Cucul, held a press conference today to report on the progress of the investigation into the “UNOPS: Presidential Corruption” case, considered one of the largest corruption schemes in Guatemala’s recent history.
Mr. Curruchiche Cucul, accompanied by Prosecutor Mario Véliz, detailed the background of the case file and the findings obtained during the investigation and in the search operations conducted.
Investigation Progress
He recalled that on October 21 of this year, the case related to an agreement between the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) was publicly revealed. The investigation points to alleged acts of corruption and abuse of authority in the management of public funds.
He also mentioned that on October 30, the MSPAS officially notified the decision to terminate the agreement with UNOPS, which confirms the irregularities detected by the Public Ministry and prevents multimillion losses to Guatemala.
Payments for Services Not Rendered
Among the findings is the payment of US$3,133,998.66 (just over Q24 million at the current exchange rate) to UNOPS, corresponding to direct and indirect costs, even though between May and October 2024, that entity did not carry out any actions, purchases, or service provision.
The agreement established that UNOPS should begin activities only after the first disbursement; however, the investigation determined that MSPAS made the payments without any progress having been made.
Contaminated Medicine Report
One of the most sensitive points revealed by FECI is the detection of contaminated medicine, identified through internal alerts and evidenced through judicially authorized wiretaps.
The case began in May 2024, when a nurse at a hospital reported that an infusion medication appeared cloudy and contained foreign residues.
After various analyses, the MSPAS Regulation and Control Department determined that the Paracetamol medication contained fungi and contamination.
Although the contamination was confirmed in October 2024, the removal of the medication from the hospital network was not carried out until May 2025, leaving approximately 7,200 people exposed.
UNOPS Project Management and Monitoring Committee Report
Mr. Véliz explained that the case also investigates the responsibilities of people in charge of medicine distribution, health center staff, and procurement personnel within MSPAS.
According to a memorandum signed on September 17, 2025, by five members of the Technical Management and Monitoring Committee, MSPAS authorities were informed about the results of a technical and administrative analysis showing multiple irregularities, which were ignored.
Finally, the prosecutors emphasized that the investigation continues and reiterated that the goal of the case is to protect state resources and ensure that those responsible are held accountable under the law.
Guatemala City, November 17, 2025