Human Rights Watch (HRW) raised serious concerns Wednesday regarding Guatemalan Attorney General María Consuelo Porras, who is accused of conducting politically motivated prosecutions against members of President Bernardo Arévalo’s administration.

According to HRW, Porras has initiated at least 17 investigations against high-ranking officials, often based on dubious evidence. Since Arévalo took office in January, these actions include attempts to strip the president of his immunity and a controversial court ruling that canceled the legal registration of Arévalo’s political party Movimiento Semilla.

Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at HRW, said that Porras’ legal maneuvers appear designed to selectively target government officials while failing to pursue genuine corruption cases. HRW noted that the Attorney General’s Office has classified many investigations as secret, limiting transparency and public understanding of the proceedings, further stating that the Attorney General has repeatedly accused government officials of committing offenses based on alleged conduct that does not appear to be criminal.

Guatemala’s political environment has experienced significant changes following the election of Arévalo, who won the presidency against Sandra Torres in a runoff held in August 2023, securing approximately 61 percent of the vote. Following the elections, tensions arose as members of the political establishment and allies within the Attorney General’s office initiated actions against Arévalo and his administration. Arévalo was inaugurated on January 15 despite ongoing tensions with the Attorney General’s office.