Washington–Today, Representative Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Albio Sires (D-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, and Trade released the following statement calling on Guatemalan presidential candidates Sandra Torres and Alejandro Giammattei to publicly support the re-establishment of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) and to support additional efforts to fight corruption in the country:

“As longtime advocates for enhanced security and prosperity in Guatemala, we urge the country’s presidential candidates to publicly support the re-establishment of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) after its mandate expires in September. In addition, we believe it is imperative that both candidates publicly commit to protecting and strengthening the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI) within the Office of the Attorney General. We also urge both candidates to publicly call for enhanced protection for all local and international prosecutors, judges, and human rights defenders who have been at the forefront of the fight against corruption in Guatemala.

“The CICIG and the FECI have uncovered the large-scale abuse of public resources by high-level officials and, in the case of CICIG, earned the support of over 70 percent of Guatemalans. In strengthening the Guatemalan justice system, the CICIG and the FECI have helped to address the root causes of migration from Guatemala to the United States and contributed to a sustained reduction in the country’s homicide rate.”

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