Guatemala City.- Guatemala’s President, Bernardo Arévalo de León, on Tuesday chose lawyer Gabriel Estuardo García Luna as the new Attorney General and head of the Public Ministry for the 2026-2030 period, replacing Consuelo Porras Argueta, sanctioned for corruption by the United States and the European Union.
The decision, transcendental for the fight against corruption during the coming years in the Central American country, was announced by the president in a message to the nation where he said that he hopes that “this is the beginning of a new stage of justice” in Guatemala.
Arévalo de León opted for García Luna from a list of six lawyers also composed of Julio César Rivera Clavería, Néstor Guilebaldo de León, Beyla Estrada Barrientos, Carlos Alberto García Alvarado and César Augusto Ávila Aparicio.
“This decision I have made guided by the conviction that I have as president of the imperative need to have people of integrity at the head of our institutions,” the ruler stated.
“The Public Ministry receives a new authority that does not come to serve a president, the government of the day, or particular or spurious political interests,” he added.
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Who is the new Attorney General of Guatemala?
The new attorney general began his career within the Judiciary 29 years ago, in 1997, as an official and court clerk, and then became a justice of the peace, a judge of first instance, and a magistrate of the Court in the criminal area.
Graduated from Rafael Landívar University (private) and holds a doctorate in Law from the University of San Carlos (state), his profile as a judge is complemented by his teaching experience, giving undergraduate and master’s classes in both institutions.
Furthermore, he has collaborated as an instructor at the School of Judicial Studies in the area of Criminal Law, was president of the Judicial Discipline Board, and also advisor to the Attorney General’s Office.
“It’s time to leave that past behind. I wish Dr. García Luna clarity, firmness, and serenity to assume the responsibility he receives,” added Arévalo de León.
The new head of the Public Ministry will take office on May 17th, replacing Porras Argueta, who held the position for eight years since 2018, marked by sanctions from the United States and the European Union, who have accused her of undermining democracy by attempting to overturn the 2023 election results and also under accusations of corruption in high-impact cases.
A list of six candidates
The list of six final candidates was finalized by a Nomination commission, as established by Guatemalan law, from almost 80 applicants, in a process criticized by social organizations because the experience of those who have been judges was not taken into account as valid, which led to the discarding of several candidates.
The questions also took place about the Nomination Commission after applying Porras Argueta the highest score of all the applicants, even when his candidacy to be re-elected was challenged, due to accusations of plagiarizing his doctoral thesis.
Several experts and social organizations had already warned that García Luna was the best option for the position.
The fight against corruption in Guatemala peaked between 2014 and 2018 with prosecutor Thelma Aldana and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), who uncovered more than a hundred cases of state bribery involving politicians and businessmen.
However, after the arrival of Porras Argueta, a judicial persecution began against anti-corruption prosecutors, journalists, lawyers, and judges, who in the vast majority of cases had to go into exile.
