On Thursday 12 June, the Council of the European Union imposed new sanctions on three Guatemalan officials and one entity for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Guatemala.
The EU27 have imposed restrictive measures (freezing their assets, banning them from travelling to the EU) on: - the ‘Foundation against Terrorism’ (FCT), as well as its chairman, Ricardo Rafael Méndez Ruiz Valdes, and its legal representative, Raúl Amílcar Falla Ovalle; - the trial judge of the Tenth Court of Guatemala, Jimi Rodolfo Bremer Ramírez.
The EU Council is “particularly concerned” by the persistent instrumentalisation of the justice system in Guatemala, including “continued attacks against the democratically elected government of President Arévalo” and “misuse of legal and procedural measures to target elected officials, human rights defenders, journalists, indigenous leaders and independent judicial operators”.
The EU has now imposed sanctions on eight Guatemalan officials and one entity (see EUROPE 13547/36). These measures are valid until 13 January 2026.
See the decision of the EU Council: https://aeur.eu/f/hb1 (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)