Justice and Transparency Project

This project strengthens Guatemala’s security and justice sector institutions to reduce criminal impunity and more effectively investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate crimes that drive illegal migration.

The Justice and Transparency Project supports the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of crimes that drive illegal migration. It addresses the extortion, corruption, economic crimes (tax and contraband), trafficking-in-persons, and gender-based violence by working directly with the Attorney General’s Office and other justice sector institutions. This activity will also develop new investigation and case management models to investigate potential cases of fraud and embezzlement and support the unit within the Guatemalan Prosecutor’s Office that investigates and dismantles networks of coyotes, whose lucrative human-smuggling enterprises contribute to illegal migration.

In addition, the project will respond to the challenges created due to COVID-19 by providing technical assistance for virtual hearings in response to social distancing requirements including access to defense counsel outside of court. This includes bolstering information technology platforms, drafting regulations, and protocols that will increase the use of video-conferencing, and electronic communication between justice sector institutions to increase speed and efficiency in case management.