US curbs work with Guatemala after anti-corruption leader removed

Juan Francisco Sandoval was sacked last week as the head of a prosecution unit charged with tackling corruption.

The United States has said it will pause some cooperation with Guatemala’s criminal prosecutor after the head of a unit charged with fighting corruption in the Central American nation was sacked late last week. US State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters on Tuesday that the US was pausing programmatic cooperation with Guatemala’s Public Ministry, which is responsible for the prosecution of criminal cases. The move comes after Guatemala’s Attorney General Maria Porras on Friday removed anti-corruption leader Juan Francisco Sandoval from his post as the head of Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (FECI). Hours later, Sandoval fled the country.