Source: RT en Español
What it’s about: During his speech at the UN General Assembly, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales denounced the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), stating that its mandate was a threat to peace in Guatemala. Morales accused the Commission of overreaching its functions, violating the Constitution and stirring up conflict in the country. He also accused the head of the CICIG, Ivan Velasquez, of issuing “interventionist declarations” about the internal politics of Guatemala that have polarized society and “created an atmosphere of instability that violates national security.” Morales assured the Assembly his government wouldn’t protect corrupt officials but would defend their right to the presumption of innocence guaranteed in Guatemala’s constitution. The article reports on Morales’ speech without fact-check or context.
Why it’s false: CICIG is an effective partner in the fight against impunity and improving governance and accountability in Guatemala. So far, CICIG investigations have led to the dismissal of 1,700 corrupt police officers, targeted hundreds of other public officials and played a crucial role in the resignation of former President Otto Perez Molina. CICIG has also been investigating President Morales and his family, accusing him of accepting about $1 million in illegal campaign donations. At this point, Morales is more of a threat to peace and democracy in Guatemala than is CICIG. RT’s decision to publish an article on Morales’ speech without any context or details on the ongoing cross-societal protests calling for his resignation gives legitimacy to the increasingly autocratic president’s words.