Morales declares Velásquez persona non grata, triggers political crisis (Aug. 28, 2017)

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales declared the head of a U.N. anti-corruption panel persona non grata this weekend, a polemic choice that pushes the country into a grave political crisis. Morales accused U.N. International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) head Iván Velásquez of exceeding the organism's mandate by trying to lobby for constitutional reforms, and also publicizing allegations against "Guatemalan citizens" without allowing for presumption of innocence, reports El Periódico. He made the announcement vía a Twitter video posted early Sunday, notes the Wall Street Journal.

The sudden expulsion order was immediately blocked by the country's Constitutional Court, reports the New York Times. The court later granted two more precautionary measures defending Velásquez, reports La Hora. Morales said yesterday the court had no standing to block his expulsion of Velásquez, a stance that would put him him in contempt of court according to judicial officials, reports El Periódico.

Morales' announcement came less than 48 hours after Velásquez and Thelma Aldana, the attorney general, asked the court to strip Morales of his political immunity in order to proceed with charges linked to illegal campaign funds allegedly received by his political party the National Convergence Front (FCN) during the 2015 election, reports the Guardian. On Friday they announced that investigators have identified at least $825,000 in anonymous contributions to the president’s election campaign that went unreported to regulators, reports the WSJ. (See Friday's post.) 

A judicial ruling is expected today on their request, and a two-thirds vote from Congress could leave Morales exposed to prosecution.

The decision to oust Velásquez has left Morales extremely isolated politically. He fired his foreign minister for refusing to carry out the order yesterday, reports the Guardian. 

Several members of the cabinet resigned yesterday, or voiced their support for Velásquez, reports Plaza Pública. Sources say most are unhappy with the president's decision. A long list of government officials, judicial officials, international diplomats, members of civil society and international organizations has spoken out in favor of Velásquez's permanence in the post. U.N. Secretary General António Guterres was "shocked" by the declaration and said Velásquez to "be treated by the Guatemalan authorities with the respect due to his functions as an international civil servant." Protesters gathered in the streets after Morales' early morning announcement. And the U.S., German, Canadian, Spanish, French, Italian, U.K. Swiss and E.U. embassies said the decision harmed the CICIG's ability to fulfill its mandate, reports El Periódico. U.S. lawmakers warned that the actions could affect aid funds. And Transparency International's local branch, Acción Ciudadana, started a suit against Morales for obstruction of justice, reports El Periódico separately.

(See last Thursday's and Friday's posts.)

"I think it’s fair to say this is a constitutional crisis of the gravest proportions," Wilson Center's Eric L. Olson told the NYT, suggesting that Guatemala’s fragile institutions may be unable to withstand the rupture. "The train is veering off the tracks, and it’s not clear who will stop it."

The CICIG is credited with making inroads against what has been characterized as a "corporate mafia state." The commission received unprecedented power within a sovereign state, including the right to launch probes and act as a plaintiff in criminal cases, reports the Wall Street Journal. It has been instrumental in landmark corruption cases, including exposure of the corruption network that brought down then-President Otto Pérez Molina in 2015.

The CICIG has broad public support, and is one of the country's most trusted institutions.

News Briefs

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• Last week Salvadoran police arrested four of the officers signaled by the Factum investigation, reports the Associated Press. (See last Wednesday's post.)

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• Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich urged people not to make a political battle over the disappearance of a social activist a month ago. "The police are not the same as 40 years ago," said Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, referring to the country's military dictatorship. Her comments spurred an angry social media campaign demanding the whereabouts of Santiago Maldonado, last seen in an indigenous community protest violently repressed by police, reports the BBC.

• I'm Jordana, and I'm finishing today's Daily Briefing in Buenos Aires. Where is Santiago Maldonado?