UN Chief 'strongly rejects' Guatemala decision to expel anti-corruption body

UN Secretary-General Antnio Guterres has "strongly rejected" the Guatemalan Government's decision to unilaterally terminate the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), an independent body set up by the UN and Guatemala to investigate illegal security groups and high-level corruption in the country.

Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel on Monday met Guterres at the world body's headquarters here and presented him with a letter informing the United Nations of the government's decision to terminate the Agreement, which established CICIG, within 24 hours.

In a statement, the UN Spokesman said that the Secretary-General "strongly rejects" the contents of the letter, adding that the United Nations has been "constructively engaged with the Government of Guatemala, at various levels, over the last sixteen months, in accordance with Article 12 of the agreement creating CICIG."