GENEVA – The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances urged Guatemala to open archives and military installations to search for disappeared persons, as the country is at a decisive moment in its efforts to end the suffering of thousands of families.
“Historically, the search, forensic and memory work in Guatemala has been in the hands of victims and civil society organisations. While this Government has made progress by launching the first Mechanism for the Humanitarian Search for Disappeared Persons, and establishing a dedicated team, success will depend on the level of openness,” the experts said in a statement at the end of a visit to the country.
They underscored the serious operational challenges faced by this search mechanism in terms of human and material resources, capacity and sustainability.
“Forty years after the internal armed conflict, Guatemala is still lacking consolidated records on missing persons,” the experts said, warning about the institutional fragmentation of current search efforts and pointing out the need to document cases of those who have disappeared after the conflict.
They said that access to military, police and intelligence files is essential to locate disappeared persons and combat impunity, referring to current efforts to restore, classify, systematise and digitise the files of the National Civil Police and the National Registry of Reparations. “The State must guarantee the preservation, organisation and accessibility of all relevant documentation.”
The Working Group recognised the progress made in investigating and prosecuting emblematic cases related to serious human rights violations in the past. However, due to the weakening of capacities within the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the criminalisation of justice operators specialising in transitional justice, the group expressed concern about the setbacks of the last eight years.
“The newly appointed Attorney General must prioritise the investigation of enforced disappearances, and restore an institutional framework that is fundamental to the fight against impunity,” the experts said.
“Victims of enforced disappearance have the right to prompt, independent, exhaustive and impartial investigations that will enable the identification of those responsible and ensure accountability,” they said. “Above all, the search for missing persons and the exhumation of remains must continue.”
The experts recognised the significant contribution of survivors, family members, Indigenous Peoples and civil society organisations to the wide network of memory initiatives, and acknowledged their fundamental role in the search for truth, justice and memory.
They also welcomed the Government’s efforts to develop the Plan for Reparation and Dignification of Victims of the Internal Armed Conflict 2026-2036, emphasising that its success will depend on effective implementation, adequate resources, and the meaningful victim participation.
“The consequences of enforced disappearance are felt across generations and disproportionately affect women, Indigenous Peoples and people in vulnerable situations,” the experts said, adding that institutional neglect contributes to the exclusion, inequality, and suffering of victims.
The Working Group called on all State institutions and political actors to unite in making a lasting national commitment to placing victims at the centre of Guatemala’s public policies and prioritising the search for disappeared persons.
“Truth, justice, reparation and memory are not only international legal obligations, they are also essential pillars for strengthening democracy, social cohesion and sustainable development in Guatemala,” they said.
