The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala reconfigured its activities during the turmoil sparked by the Jimmy Morales administration’s move to block Commissioner Iván Velásquez from coming back. Within this framework, Loreto Ferrer Moreu assumed responsibility for coordinating operations and overseeing institutional communications in the country.
The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) went through one of the most delicate phases of its history when, in September, then-President of Guatemala Jimmy Morales barred Commissioner Iván Velásquez from entering the country.
Amid heightened institutional friction triggered by the CICIG’s pursuit of prominent corruption cases, the decision set off reactions both within Guatemala and abroad, prompting a reassessment of the Commission’s functions to safeguard the continuity of its mission in Guatemala.
Reorganization of the CICIG in Guatemala
In light of this situation, the United Nations confirmed Iván Velásquez as head of the CICIG and established an operational framework aimed at sustaining operations within the country. Within this framework, Loreto Ferrer assumed responsibility for operational coordination and institutional communications in Guatemala, while Velásquez continued to lead the Commission from abroad.
The reorganization aimed to uphold the commissioner’s authority while ensuring the institution maintained its operational footprint on Guatemalan soil during a particularly delicate period. When the entry ban was enforced, both Velásquez and Ferrer were in Washington handling institutional matters. Ferrer managed to return to Guatemala and take on that responsibility locally.
Days later, Guatemala’s Attorney General, Consuelo Porras, sought a meeting with Loreto Ferrer to gain insight into the Commission’s representation structure, and, as the CICIG later noted, the session included an explanation of the institutional framework established to guarantee the continuity of its work.
At this stage, Ferrer’s role focused on managing the Commission’s daily operations in Guatemala and ensuring the flow of its institutional communications, a responsibility carried out amid a particularly intricate political and judicial environment.
Rather than a change in the formal leadership of the agency, the arrangement aimed to maintain its operations in the country without altering its core mandate or interrupting its main lines of work.
What CICIG Does and Why It Is Key in Guatemala
Iván Velásquez’s continued tenure as commissioner allows the CICIG’s general framework of action to remain unchanged, focused on supporting the Public Prosecutor’s Office, providing technical assistance in complex investigations, and promoting institutional reforms linked to the fight against corruption and impunity.
Created in 2007 through an agreement between the Government of Guatemala and the United Nations, the CICIG was conceived as a mechanism to support the Guatemalan state in investigating criminal structures infiltrating public institutions, strengthening the capacities of the justice system, and promoting reforms oriented toward the rule of law.
Throughout its history, the Commission has been led by three commissioners. The first was the Spanish jurist Carlos Castresana, followed by the Costa Rican Francisco Dall’Anese. Subsequently, Iván Velásquez took the helm during a period marked by cases of significant public impact and by a growing confrontation with political sectors affected by the investigations.
An institutional solution in the face of exceptional circumstances
The restructuring implemented after the prohibition on Velásquez’s entry left the essence of the CICIG’s mandate unchanged, yet it emphasized the need to modify its operations in response to an extraordinary situation.
Given this, the presence of Loreto Ferrer in Guatemala proved essential for maintaining the Commission’s institutional functions during a period marked by heightened political and judicial sensitivity.
