Guatemala: the state, insecurity and organised crime
FRIDE (C/ Goya 5-7, Pasaje 2ª)Madrid, Spain 16/07/2009
Description
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Having had six consecutive legitimate elections and three years of political peace, Guatemala seems to have consolidated as a democracy after 36 years of war and 30 of dictatorships. Now, however, the country faces an even bigger challenge: to build a state with security forces and a judicial system which are independent of the organised crime that has infiltrated the highest spheres.
This workshop formed part of the project that FRIDE and the Ford Foundation have been running since 2007 on states with weak institutions, and was attended by foremost experts on Guatemala from Guatemala itself and from Washington and Europe. The format of the workshop took place according to Chatham House rules and it was a closed event.
The debate explored the degree to which drug-trafficking and organised crime have infiltrated four key institutions: the courts, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the army and the police, as well as processes initiated by the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala and the selection of judges of different instances.
The workshop also had a marked regional focus both on drug-trafficking and organised crime and on the contributions and solutions that the international community can provide from Washington, Europe and Latin America.
A report will be published, according to the rules of Chatham House, synthesising the discussion and recommendations for national and international actors.
The speakers included:
- Ivan Briscoe, Senior Researcher, Peace and Security programme, FRIDE.
- Bernardo Arévalo, Director of UNOPS-Interpeace, with expertise on the army.
- Carmen Aída Ibarra, Coordinator of the political section of the Fundación Myrna Mack.
- Adriana Beltrán, in charge of Guatemala at the Washington Office for Latin America.
- Marta Ibero, in charge of Guatemala at the Copenhagen Initiative for Central America.
- Amado de Andrés, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
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Guatemala: the state, insecurity and organised crime program
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