The Case for an International Anti-Corruption Court americasquarterly.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from americasquarterly.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Dear President Sánchez,
I am writing on behalf of Human Rights Watch in advance of your upcoming trip to Central America to urge you to call on the region’s leaders to respect human rights, the rule of law, and judicial independence, and to take action to end violence and discrimination against marginalized groups.
Lawlessness, corruption, impunity, discrimination, and violence drive hundreds of thousands to flee Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua every year. But the region’s leaders continue to undermine the rule of law in an effort to further concentrate power. And they show little interest in protecting marginalized groups.
GUATEMALA CITY U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris offered an optimistic outlook for improved cooperation with Guatemala on addressing the spike in migration to the U.S. after her meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday. She also delivered a direct warning to migrants considering making the trek: “Do not come. Do not come.” Her comments, during a press conference after she met privately with the Guatemalan president, underscored the challenge that remains even as Harris engages in substantive talks with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents during a three-day visit to the region this week, her first foreign trip as vice president.
The trip got off to a rocky start when Harris plane returned to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland about 30 minutes after takeoff because of what her spokesperson said was a problem with the landing gear. She departed on another plane about an hour and a half later.
Harris is seeking to secure commitments from Guatemala and Mexico for greater cooperation on border security and economic investment, but corruption in the region a far more intractable challenge will complicate her efforts.
It’s already had a significant impact on her work in Central America. Harris has yet to engage substantively with the leaders of Honduras and El Salvador, who are both embroiled in corruption scandals. And it’s an issue that experts say will need to be addressed to make any lasting changes.