GUATEMALA CITY — Guatemala’s president appointed the controversial attorney general to a second term Monday in a move disappointing to many Guatemalans and foreign governments critical of her backsliding on corruption investigations.
“It is a sovereign decision,” he added, in apparent reference to international pressure.
Earlier Monday, Porras, 68, defended her record during her annual report. She said that under her leadership the office had enforced the country’s laws and sought justice for all without exceptions.
Porras was originally appointed in 2018 by then President Jimmy Morales. This is the first time Guatemala has given its top prosecutor a second consecutive term.
In August 2019, a bit more than a year after Porras’ appointment, Morales ended the United Nations anti-corruption mission while he was under investigation. Porras, at least publicly, did not push back in defense of the mission.
During her term, more than 20 prosecutors, judges and magistrates have gone into exile, fearful they will be prosecuted in retaliation for their work on corruption cases.
Last year, she fired Juan Francisco Sandoval, who led the Special Prosecutors Office Against Impunity and who had been applauded for his work. He fled the country.
The U.S. government protested publicly, labelled Porras an undemocratic actor undermining efforts against corruption and pulled her visa. A State Department official said at the time that Sandoval’s removal “contributes to the perception that there is a systematic effort in Guatemala to weaken those who fight against corruption.”
On Monday, Porras described her office’s work against corruption as precedent-setting, but offered no explanation on how.
Porras has been a frequent target of street protests in recent months expressing a general dissatisfaction with the government and calling for her ouster.
Last month, Human Rights Watch said in a statement that Porras had “undermined investigations into corruption and human rights abuses, and brought arbitrary criminal proceedings against journalists, judges, and prosecutors.”
