Guatemalan anti-graft crusader flees country in blow to anti-corruption efforts

By Sofia Menchu

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) -Guatemalan anti-graft fighter Juan Francisco Sandoval fled the country early on Saturday, the country's human rights ombudsman said, only hours after being fired in a move that sparked international outrage.

Sandoval, who had led the Guatemalan Special Prosecutor's Office Against Impunity (FECI) until Friday, fled to the Salvadoran border in the wee hours of Saturday, according to human rights ombudsman Jordan Rodas.

"The decision was made to safeguard his life," Rodas told Reuters.

Guatemala's Attorney General Maria Porras removed Sandoval from his post on Friday, prompting U.S. criticism that the move was a setback to the rule of law.

The Biden administration has prioritized fighting corruption in Central America, which it calls a driver of migration. Over 180,000 Guatemalans have been encountered by U.S. officials while crossing the border since October, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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Sandoval's dismissal underscores the challenges President Joe Biden's government faces in pursuing its anti-corruption push in Central America.

"Guatemala's AG fired corruption prosecutor Sandoval for being too effective against organized crime and its links to politicians....USG (U.S. government), your move," wrote former U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala, Stephen McFarland, on Twitter.

The unit that Sandoval headed was originally created to tackle investigations spearheaded by the U.N.-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), which was ousted from the country in 2019.

In a press conference on Friday, Sandoval said he would challenge his "illegal dismissal." He accused the attorney general of asking his agency to seek her opinion on any case that involved the government.

"I am the latest in a string of prosecutors who have suffered the consequences for seeking truth and justice," he said.

In April, the Guatemalan Congress refused to appoint another high-profile anti-corruption crusader, Magistrate Gloria Porras, to the nation's highest court.

Guatemalan civil society organizations say they are planning demonstrations on Saturday afternoon.

(Reporting by Sofia Menchu in Guatemala CityWriting by Laura GottesdienerEditing by Matthew Lewis and Diane Craft)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.