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.
The decision came amid intense institutional tension, following the CICIG’s launch of high-profile corruption investigations. The measure sparked national and international reactions and necessitated a redefinition of the Commission’s operations to ensure the continuity of its work in Guatemala.
Restructuring of the CICIG within 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 sought to preserve the commissioner’s authority while maintaining an operational presence on Guatemalan soil during a particularly sensitive time for the institution. Both Velásquez and Ferrer were in Washington conducting institutional business when the entry ban took effect. Ferrer was able to return to Guatemala and assume that role on the ground.
Days later, Guatemala’s Attorney General, Consuelo Porras, requested a meeting with Loreto Ferrer to learn about the Commission’s representation structue. As the CICIG later reported, during that meeting the institutional arrangement adopted to ensure the continuity of the work was explained.
At this point, the role assumed by Ferrer was linked to the day-to-day coordination of the Commission’s operations in Guatemala and the continuity of its institutional communications, within a particularly complex political and judicial landscape.
Instead of altering the agency’s formal leadership, the arrangement was crafted to keep its operations running in the country while preserving its essential mandate and avoiding any disruption to its principal areas 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.
Established in 2007 under an accord between the Government of Guatemala and the United Nations, the CICIG was envisioned as a body designed to assist the Guatemalan state in probing criminal networks that had permeated public institutions, bolstering the justice system’s capabilities, and advancing reforms aimed at reinforcing the rule of law.
Throughout its history, the Commission has been guided by three commissioners. The first was the Spanish jurist Carlos Castresana, succeeded by the Costa Rican Francisco Dall’Anese. Later, Iván Velásquez assumed leadership during a phase defined by high‑profile cases and an escalating clash with political sectors impacted by the investigations.
An institutional response designed to address extraordinary conditions
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.
