20 March 2026
Beyond Bilateralism
On March 19, 2026, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rendered a historic, unanimous judgment in Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes/Cayos Zapotillos (Belize v. Honduras) – Application by Guatemala for Permission to Intervene. The ICJ has traditionally been extremely cautious in permitting third-state interventions in cases, but it has now responded to ongoing critiques of that position and has opened up the possibilities for intervention in meaningful ways. In some ways, it may have shifted its approach to intervention toward a more permissive model, similar to that of many constitutional courts. Continue reading >>
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16 March 2026
Protecting Democracy Through International Law
While the 2023 presidential election marked a pro-democratic turning point for Guatemala, authoritarian forces continue to pressure the newly elected government to this day. In light of this, Guatemala’s pro-democratic government requested an advisory opinion on the protection of democracy and political rights from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. This week, from 17 to 20 March 2026, the IACtHR will convene the public hearings. I argue that Guatemala’s pro-democratic government turned to international law to generate resources for its domestic struggle against national authoritarian forces. Continue reading >>
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21 May 2025
Legality Over Accountability?
On April 23, 2025, public prosecutors in Guatemala executed an arrest warrant against Luis Pacheco, the Deputy Energy Minister. This case is only the latest in a series of politically motivated prosecutions that place the Attorney General at the center of Guatemala’s democratic backsliding. She has systematically targeted journalists, public officials and civil society actors, undermining democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights. What can be done when legal mechanisms to hold public officials accountable are effectively blocked? When there are credible grounds to believe that a public official is abusing their mandate, accountability must take precedence in legal and political debate. Continue reading >>28 April 2020
Challenges Beyond Public Health – Guatemala and the Covid-19 Crisis
Due to its violent past of a 36 year-long internal armed conflict and the scourge of corruption, the COVID-19 pandemic presents to Guatemala great challenges that goes beyond ensuring healthcare to its population. The excessive use of imprisonment in the enforcement of sanitary measures, the protection of detained persons, ensuring the effective implementation of financial assistance programs, achieving accountability of public servants during the crisis, and the reactivation of the judiciary are some of the issues that demands a proper answer from the Guatemalan state. This post analyzes the “emergency state” implemented in Guatemala and presents some of the measures and effects related to the current crisis. Continue reading >>27 September 2018