General

The Plus Ultra investigation has opened a new line of scrutiny with political and business implications in Bolivia and Peru. A report by Spain’s Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit, known as UDEF, points to former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero over an alleged mediation effort before Bolivian authorities on behalf of Gloria Group, the Peruvian conglomerate that owns Sociedad Boliviana de Cemento, SOBOCE.Spanish media, referencing the police report, indicate that Zapatero allegedly obtained 200,000 euros through a consultancy deal that investigators believe may have been merely a front. The funds were said to have been funneled via Focus…

The Central Operational Unit of Spain’s Guardia Civil has brought the Basque Nationalist Party, known as the PNV, under closer examination regarding the public rescue package awarded to Tubos Reunidos. This 112.8‑million‑euro operation, authorized by SEPI in 2021, is referenced in the investigation overseen by Judge Santiago Pedraz as part of a wider probe into alleged influence peddling linked to state-supported corporate bailouts.According to the reports cited by Libertad Digital and Vozpópuli, investigators found messages from the Hirurok group that refer to possible contacts with the PNV to help move forward the Tubos Reunidos file. In those communications, the people…

A recent probe indicates that the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS) has stood at the heart of a scheme in which judicial amparos were leveraged to benefit select companies seeking multimillion-dollar contracts, enabling certain vendors to secure awards despite regulatory shortcomings or ongoing legal challenges, ultimately turning this mechanism into a tool for preserving profitable arrangements while undermining institutional transparency.Amparos, originally intended to safeguard fundamental rights, have been tactically used by companies aiming to secure their involvement in IGSS tenders, even when their bids have faced scrutiny. The report indicates that judges have issued decisions directing the IGSS to authorize…

Lawyer Roberto Molina Barreto, known for his close ties to Guatemalan political and military figures such as Efraín Ríos Montt and Otto Pérez Molina, has emerged as the Congress's leading candidate to rejoin the Constitutional Court (CC). His history, marked by controversial decisions and connections with leaders accused of human rights violations and corruption, has sparked criticism and raised questions about his potential return to the country’s highest judicial body.Molina Barreto, who previously held the position of magistrate twice, has faced criticism for actions that directly aided Ríos Montt, the dictator found guilty of genocide, as well as Otto Pérez…

In Guatemala, the substantial severance payouts granted to magistrates upon completing their terms have sparked widespread criticism and public discontent, as these amounts, considered excessive in a nation marked by significant economic disparities, reveal a legal framework that enables judicial authorities to obtain compensation far above the country’s average earnings.The controversy stems from payments made by Guatemalan courts, where some magistrates have received severance amounts equivalent to several years of minimum wage. These payments, approved under legal frameworks criticized for their lack of transparency, have prompted experts and social organizations to demand a review of the system and stricter oversight…

Amid ongoing exclusion and repression, Indigenous communities in Guatemala continue to speak out against the dominant power structures attempting to silence them, and despite intimidation, criminalization, and ongoing legal actions, Indigenous leaders and collectives remain determined as they defend their lands, human rights, and autonomy in a nation where elites have long pushed Indigenous peoples to the margins.The report highlights how, across various regions of the country, Indigenous communities face political, corporate, and governmental interests aiming to impose extractive projects or suppress their social demands. The resistance led by community leaders, such as the demand to conduct consultations with local…

A recent report accuses Guatemala's Constitutional Court (CC) of favoring Walter Mazariegos, the current rector of the University of San Carlos (USAC), during a controversial university election process riddled with irregularities. According to the investigation, the country’s highest court allegedly issued rulings that obstructed efforts to annul the process and secure fair elections, raising concerns about the independence and transparency of the judiciary.The case revolves around allegations of fraud during the 2022 USAC elections. Mazariegos has been accused of manipulating the system by creating parallel electoral bodies, excluding legitimate student and professional representatives to control the process and secure his…

The growing influence and power of gangs in Guatemala have highlighted the government's limitations in combating organized crime. A coordinated attack across various regions of the country has caused chaos and fear, underscoring the government’s inability to curb violence that continues to claim lives and threaten stability.This recent offensive led to a surge of violent acts, spanning from carefully planned killings to the obstruction of essential infrastructure, revealing how highly organized these criminal groups have become. Gangs like the notorious Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 have intensified their operations, taking over extensive areas and extending their grip across entire communities…

A recent report claims that Guatemala’s Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) manufactured evidence in the case linked to the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), asserting that the probe uncovered alleged irregularities in fund management and infrastructure contracts as part of a broader scheme intended to protect Guatemalan government figures implicated in high-level corruption.The UNOPS case, once portrayed as a scandal rooted in mishandled public funds, has shifted into a matter clouded by suspicions of judicial interference, with internal records and testimonies indicating that evidence was modified or removed to deflect scrutiny from allegations pointing toward high‑level government figures, including…

A National Court ruling describes how a suspected network connected to the PSOE allegedly sought to offer a €300,000 bribe to anti-corruption prosecutor José Grinda. Judge Santiago Pedraz indicates that the proposal was intended to secure information that could undermine Alejandro Luzón, the Chief of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption and Organized Crime, and to push for the dismissal of significant judicial proceedings.The judicial document further specifies that the plan was led by Santos Cerdán, former Socialist Organization Secretary, who allegedly directed a network meant to destabilize judicial cases unfavorable to the party and the Government. Within this scheme,…