International charity Save the Children said on Thursday that Guatemalan authorities had raided its offices to investigate allegations of child abuse, in what was widely seen as a political attack in a country with a history of targeting nonprofits and human rights groups.
Guatemala’s Ministry of Public Health said in a statement statement On Thursday, it raided the headquarters of an organization as “part of an ongoing transnational investigation” into possible abuse of children in Guatemala. The ministry did not disclose the name of the group.
Save the Children, which has been operating in Guatemala since 1976, said its offices were raided. The company denied the claims and said it had not been notified of the investigation before.
Rafael Curruchiche, head of the Office of the Special Prosecutor to fight impunity, said in a statement video A message posted on social media said the search involved the “registration and seizure of evidence” coordinated with the national police.
Mr. Curruchiche, the United States placed List of corrupt officials The man charged with obstructing corruption investigations and democracy said the raid was carried out following a complaint to the Ministry of Public Affairs.
Guatemala has a record of suppressing anti-corruption and human rights efforts. In 2021, a law gave authorities broad powers to dismantle NGOs after lawmakers argued that groups receiving foreign funding violated Guatemala’s sovereignty.charity says legislation Suppression of freedom of assembly and expression.
although firm resistance From an opponent in government, the current president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arevalo, took office earlier this year after campaigning as an anti-corruption crusader. He succeeded his predecessor, Alejandro GiammatteiHe targeted nonprofits and human rights groups during his administration. But Mr Arevalo faces opposition from the conservative political establishment, including prosecutors, making it difficult to implement his agenda.
Public Affairs Ministry spokesman Juan Luis Pantaleón said the complaint against Save the Children was filed by an individual who said Guatemalan children were working at the NGO in Texas. Abuse in shelters.
Kaluchish said authorities have requested assistance from the Texas Attorney General’s Office in the investigation. Guatemala’s Secretary of Public Affairs Angel Pineda accused Save the Children of illegally sending children to Texas in a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Creed reported in Guatemala Verified by Ministry of Public Affairs. Mr. Pineda is also subject to U.S. sanctions.
Manfredo Marroquín, director of Guatemalan anti-corruption policy group Citizen Action, dismissed suggestions that Guatemalan prosecutors are suddenly worried about the safety of the country’s children.
“Most likely, and almost certainly, this is politically motivated,” he said in an interview.
Guatemala has also long been in the spotlight for the poor treatment of children in the country. Guatemalan children flee violence and poverty, often for safety in the United States. But more and more people are being returned.Adopted by an American family has stalled on charges of kidnapping and selling babies.
Save the Children defended its work in a statement statement “We do not – and have never – facilitated the departure of children from Guatemala,” he said Thursday. Instead, it said it supports health and nutrition programs, education and food in the public school system and emergency aid.
“We are shocked and confused by the unprecedented raids of our offices by the Guatemalan public sector,” the group said. “We have received no specific allegations and no evidence to support allegations of misconduct.”
Last week, the charity said Learn about claims About the well-being of the immigrant children it serves. The company said it had no evidence to support the claims, adding that it takes all allegations of child misconduct seriously and has an independent investigative mechanism to review them.
