Corruption poses a major threat to the effective functioning of a country’s justice sector. This article builds on a recent cast-study published by the International Crisis Group that takes a closer look at the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala and its role in justice sector reform, particularly in the fight against corruption.
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Wracked by violence and poverty, the political and economic reforms that have brought relative prosperity and liberal governance across Latin America seem, until recently, to have bypassed Guatemala. However, as recent events indicate, it appears that change consistent with good governance and support for human rights could be taking hold in Guatemala.
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President Pérez Molina’s first year in office has produced mixed results. Although the administration has enjoyed some modest successes on the economic and social front but has suffered a series of disappointments and setbacks to Guatemala’s most important challenge – improving governance and security. What Guatemala needs is a top-to-bottom police reform steeped in modern policing concepts such as community policing and respect for human rights.
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Drug traffickers, gangs, and corrupt security forces have benefitted from a pervasive culture of impunity that has resulted from governance failures and widespread fear among the population. As long as corruption remains endemic and the culture of impunity persists, the potential exists for Guatemala to descend into a narco-state with disastrous consequences for both the local population and regional stability.
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The paper provides a regional review of the private security situation in Latin America and the available sources of data followed by country reviews of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador and Venezuela. It provides a thorough review of existing literature, an analysis of knowledge gaps and a thoughtful list of topics for further research.
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