[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SUPPORT AN END TO CORRUPTION IN GUATEMALA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 2015

  Mr. McGovern. Mr. Speaker, one year ago, a surge of unaccompanied 
child migrants from Central America was front-page news. Although that 
humanitarian crisis at our borders appears to have abated, the 
difficulties and life-threatening challenges faced by many citizens in 
Central America continue. The region urgently needs support in order to 
address the root causes of outmigration--economic and social 
inequality, insecurity and injustice.
  It is encouraging that the Obama Administration has worked with the 
governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to present a request 
for $1 billion to tackle the structural and multidimensional causes of 
migration through investments and programs to create jobs, expand 
education and social protection, strengthen public security and the 
judicial system, and improve transparency and efficiency in public 
administration. Congress is now considering this aid package in the 
House and Senate versions of the FY 2016 State and Foreign Operations 
Appropriations bills. While I support the overall amount of the 
request, I do have concerns about how best to target funds so that they 
reach vulnerable and poor communities, and especially youth and 
families in those communities, who are most in need of support, while 
at the same time strengthening human rights and judicial systems in 
each of these countries.
  In this context, I believe it is important to focus attention on the 
situation in Guatemala, which today is facing a critical juncture. 
Recent revelations of cases of widespread and deep-seated corruption in 
Guatemala raise serious concerns about the capacity of that government 
to be an effective partner in reducing poverty and inequality in the 
region. Evidence of massive and shameless looting of the state by high 
level Guatemalan officials in the Perez Molina government, the 
legislature and political parties has sparked a remarkable citizen 
mobilization. What started as urban, middle-class protests organized 
through social media networks has morphed into nationwide 
demonstrations demanding the resignation of President Perez Molina, and 
the immediate passage and implementation of fundamental reforms to 
electoral, judicial, civil service, and procurement systems. Some are 
calling for a `government of national renovation' as a transition to 
begin to renew the political leadership and help restore citizen 
confidence in government.
  I want to honor this unprecedented, continuing, and fearless rise of 
the Guatemalan people--students, people of all ethnic and religious 
groups, civil society organizations, and ordinary citizens of all ages 
are coming together with a common agenda against corruption and in 
favor of reform. That said, I note that frustration is growing as 
proposed reforms supported by the National Platform for Reform of the 
State--a coalition of over 100 civil society and academic 
organizations--are not progressing as demanded. And there are 
legitimate concerns expressed by civil society organizations that 
national elections scheduled for September 6th will take place in an 
environment that will enable fraud through illicit financing and in 
which threats will be used to intimidate voters. In this crucial 
moment, every citizen who is speaking out peacefully needs to be 
protected, defended and encouraged.
  I also want to recognize the brave and excellent work of the 
International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, CICIG, whose 
technical capacity has supported the bold investigative initiatives 
undertaken by the Guatemalan Attorney General's office to uproot 
corruption. When CICIG was established in 2007, it was described as a 
choice between the past and future. Guatemala recognized that it needed 
help controlling illegal, clandestine and corrupt power structures in 
the post-conflict years. CICIG is now at the heart of this challenging 
but potentially promising moment in Guatemala's history. Together with 
civil society and some dedicated leaders in Guatemala's justice system, 
the good women and men of CICIG are playing a critical role in helping 
move Guatemala towards justice and a better future. They, too, need 
protection and encouragement to keep up the good work.
  Clearly, the next few weeks and months are critically important as 
the Guatemalan people work to figure out how to best address the 
challenges they face. At this important juncture, I urge the Obama 
Administration, including our U.S. diplomats and other agency 
representatives in Guatemala, to do their utmost to support Guatemalan 
civil society efforts to hold their own government accountable. Over 
the next weeks and months we will see whether Guatemala is capable of 
carrying out real change and moving closer to establishing a just, 
accountable and increasingly secure, equitable and prosperous country 
for all its citizens.

                          ____________________