Guatemalans welcome Costa Rica’s chief prosecutor as commission head

EFE June 25, 2010

Guatemalan social groups welcomed the news today of the appointment of Costa Rican Chief Prosecutor Francisco Dall´Anese as the new head of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).

The coordinator of the International Center for Human Rights Research (CIIDH), Jorge Santos, told EFE that Dall´Anese has all of the necessary experience to take the place of Spanish judge Carlos Castresana.

The judge resigned June 7, saying there was not enough support from the Guatemalan executive branch in the fight against impunity.

Social groups, related Santos, discussed the need for the new commissioner to continue with the agenda set out by Castresana.

The Costa Rican prosecutor “has solid experience in criminal investigations and high-profile cases, and for this reason he has been chosen for the position,” explained Santos.

“It is now critical that the new commissioner arrives in Guatemala to quickly take up the work of the CICIG,” Santos continued.

The appointment of Dall’Anese, a strong opponent of narco-trafficking and organized crime, was announced Monday at the United Nations in New York City.

Castresana’s successor has excellent credentials in the fight against corruption and against criminal groups that have increased insecurity levels in Central America, according to a statement issued by the UN.

CICIG is the outcome of a December 2006 agreement signed by the Guatemalan government and the U.N. and ratified by the Guatemalan Parliament the following year, despite opposition by some political groups who felt the commission was an invasion of national sovereignty.

The commission’s goal is to uncover the existence of criminal organizations, collaborate with the state to dismantle the groups and to research, punish and sanction the crimes committed by these groups.