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Case studies / Comment

Guatemala

14/05/2007 By Angélica Durán Martínez

Organised crime and drug trafficking are penetrating the public political life in Guatemala to the extent that, some analysts fear, the country may turn into a ‘narco-State’.

Accusations that criminal organisations fund political parties and electoral campaigns have been made since 1996. Information on these cases shows that the main sources of illicit funds in campaigns are proceeds from drug trafficking activities and corruption networks that embezzle funds from state institutions.

Several government authorities including the Vice President, the Interior Minister, and the Presidential Commissioner for Human Rights have warned of the risk that drug traffickers will have an impact on the 2007 elections, providing campaign funds, or even running their own members as candidates.

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Keywords

Corruption Fragile state Guatemala Latin America & Caribbean

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• Organized Crime, the State, and Democracy: the cases of Central America and the Caribbean

Bio author: Angélica Durán Martínez