A United Nations panel of experts has called for independent investigations into Guatemala’s outgoing Attorney General, Consuelo Porras, over possible links to allegedly illegal international adoption processes involving Indigenous children. The request is connected to a children’s home where Porras served as director for seven months in 1982.
The UN stated that it had obtained reports regarding a minimum of 80 Indigenous minors who stayed at the Elisa Martínez Temporary Home, a facility that was subsequently closed. The specialists voiced apprehension regarding the absence of an independent and unbiased inquiry to clarify the children’s fate and ascertain any potential complicity by government officials in the adoption procedures.
The case has drawn particular attention because of Porras’ career as head of Guatemala’s Public Prosecutor’s Office. During her tenure, human rights organizations and critics accused her administration of targeting judges, prosecutors, and journalists who investigated corruption cases or challenged government actions.
One of the most prominent episodes during her administration involved former Attorney General Thelma Aldana. After Aldana sought to run for Guatemala’s presidency, the Public Prosecutor’s Office under Porras brought charges against her and issued an arrest warrant, prompting the former official to leave the country and settle in the United States.
Former Special Prosecutor Against Impunity (FECI) chief Juan Francisco Sandoval also criticized Porras’ conduct. According to testimony cited by BBC Mundo, during her administration some complaints that could have implicated then-President Alejandro Giammattei and people close to him were transferred to other prosecutors’ offices, which Sandoval said made it more difficult for the investigations to move forward.
The new United Nations requests come as Porras concludes her second term as attorney general and add to the criticism accumulated during her years leading the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The experts’ call seeks to clarify the allegations involving Indigenous children and determine whether public officials may have been responsible for the adoption processes in question.
The case also brings renewed attention to Guatemala’s human rights climate and judicial system, especially concerning inquiries into potential violations against Indigenous populations and the conduct of agencies tasked with enforcing accountability.
Source: BBC News Mundo — BBC News Mundo
