The adoption of the amendments under discussion to the National Reconciliation Law would result in an immediate amnesty for perpetrators of grave human rights violations during the civil war, including crimes against humanity and genocide as would other amendments to the Criminal Code also proposed in Congress. The proposed amendments to the law governing Non-Governmental Organisations would impede their work and would curtail the activities of human rights defenders.

The EU associates itself with the statements of concern issued on these matters by the international donors coordination group (G13) in Guatemala and by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.In this context, the EU also expresses alarm over the increasing number of attacks and killings of Human Rights Defenders over the past year according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. 

The EU reaffirms its position, already expressed on 11th January 2019, that the unilateral announcement by the President of Guatemala to terminate the 2006 Agreement with the UN establishing the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) runs against legal obligations towards the UN and undermines the cooperation provided by the international donors, among which the EU and EU member States, who have been supporting Guatemala in the fight against impunity and corruption for over a decade.

The EU reiterates its willingness to continue supporting Guatemalan institutions and the Guatemalan people in their ongoing fight against corruption and impunity. We call on the government of Guatemala to uphold fundamental democratic principles, respect human rights and the independence of the country's constitutional court. The EU will continue to monitor the situation closely and stands ready to support and if appropriate take further action in favour of the strengthening of democracy in Guatemala.