,,iii #aaf? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #bdd ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,june #aa1 #bjai ,mr4 ,durb9 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mr4 ,c>d91 ,mr4 ,br[n1 ,mr4 ,book]1 & ,mr4 ,van ,holl57 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign ,relations ,,resolution ,express+ support = free1 fair1 & transp>5t elections 9 ! ,republic ( ,guatemala 9 ord] to increase prosp]ity1 security1 & access to ju/ice = all ,guatemalans4 ,:]eas ,guatemala w hold g5]al elections on ,june #af1 #bjai1 & m ?an #g1fjj1jjj ,guatemalans are regi/]$ to vote = _! next presid5t1 vice presid5t1 congressional repres5tatives1 & m ?an #cjj mayors ar\nd ! c\ntry2 ,:]eas1 9 ! process lead+ up to ! elections 9 ,guatemala1 !re h be5 a s]ies ( tr\bl+ developm5ts relat$ to presid5tial c&idates1 ) #f ( ! #bd c&idates fac+ allegations relat$ to illicit activities1 & at lea/ #d c&idates hav+ be5 exclud$ f ! race2 ,:]eas1 on ,april #ag1 #bjai1 ,m>io ,e/rada1 a ,guatemalan presid5tial c&idate ) ! c5t]-"r ,national ,*ange ,union political p>ty1 0 arre/$ 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & *>g$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,ju/ice ) conspir+ to import coca9e into ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 solicit+ millions ( doll>s f ! ,s9aloa ,drug ,c>tel1 & o!r fire>ms (f5ses2 ,:]eas ! case ( ,m>io ,e/rada highlights ! exi/5ce ( l9kages betwe5 c]ta9 ,guatemalan political actors & transnational crim9al organizations1 & ! mann] 9 :i* su* crim9al organizations h s\ght to influ5ce ! ,guatemalan political sy/em2 ,:]eas1 on ,may #ae1 #bjai1 a ,guatemalan c\rt issu$ a politically motivat$ rul+ t ,!lma ,aldana--,guatemala's =m] ,attorney ,g5]al :o l$ ef=ts to tackle corruption 9 ,guatemala--0 ineligible to run 9 ,guatemala's presid5tial election2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ,guatemalan m$ia1 approximately #aej c&idates runn+ = a seat 9 ,guatemala's legislature h be5 cit$ ) irregul>ities1 includ+ hav+ receiv$ suspici\s gov]nm5t contracts1 n meet+ electoral requirem5ts1 & possible l9kages to n>cotics traffick+2 ,:]eas ,guatemala has a long hi/ory ( debilitat+ corruption due to ! p]vasive influ5ce ( n>cotics traffick+ & organiz$ crime1 ) ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate e/imat+ e>li] ?is decade t z mu* z #hj p]c5t ( ! coca9e t ev5tually rea*$ ! ,unit$ ,/ates _h pass$ ?r\gh ,guatemala2 ,:]eas ,guatemala's endemic corruption & crim9ality l$ to ! #bjjf agreem5t t e/abli%$ ! ,unit$ ,nations ,int]national ,commission ,aga9/ ,impunity 9 ,guatemala 7,,cicig7 z an indep5d5t body task$ ) work+ ) ! ,public ,m9i/ry to combat corruption1 organiz$ crime1 & in/itutional impunity2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t provid$ consid]able fund+ & political support = ,,cicig dur+ bo? ,republican & ,democratic adm9i/rations1 yet ! ,trump ,adm9i/ration has be5 notably sil5t on ,presid5t ,morales' ef=ts to und]m9e ,,cicig2 ,:]eas a ,may #bjai report to ,congress by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate /at$ t ,guatemala1 ) ! support ( ,,cicig s9ce #bjjg1 previ\sly took /eps to root out cl&e/9e networks ( corrupt actors1 includ+ ! uncov]+ ( a massive corruption s*eme 9 #bjae l$ by =m] ,presid5t ,p]ez-,mol9a & =m] ,vice ,presid5t ,baldetti2 ,:]eas ! ,may #bjai report also not$ setbacks to ,guatemala's fight aga9/ corruption & /at$ t s9ce ann\nc+ 9 #bjah x w\ld n r5ew ! ,,cicig's m&ate1 ! ,guatemalan ,gov]nm5t has imp$$ anti-corruption ef=ts1 attack$ judicial indep5d5ce1 & misus$ ,u4,s4-donat$ equipm5t2 ,:]eas setbacks to ! fight aga9/ corruption weak5 ! rule ( law & democratic gov]nance 9 ,guatemala2 ,:]eas weak rule ( law1 viol5ce1 corruption1 human rights abuses1 impunity1 & failure to take effective actions to ameliorate widespread pov]ty 9 ,guatemala contribute to ! outfl[ ( refugees & migrants t[>ds ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 includ+ ! m ?an #afe1jjj ,guatemalan nationals :o h be5 appreh5d$ on ! ,unit$ ,/ates-,mexico bord] dur+ ! curr5t fiscal ye> alone2 ,:]eas x is 9 ! /rategic int]e/ ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to support free1 fair1 & transp>5t elections & enc\rage cont9u$ ef=ts to /r5g!n ! rule ( law & democratic gov]nance 9 ,guatemala2 & ,:]eas ! ,trump ,adm9i/ration ann\nc$ 9 ,m>* #bjai t x w reprogram ,unit$ ,/ates assi/ance = ,guatemala1 ,el ,salvador1 & ,honduras1 !reby und]m9+ ! ability ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t to address *all5ges to security1 ! rule ( law1 & economic developm5t 9 ! ,nor!rn ,triangle ( ,c5tral ,am]ica3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 supports ! p ( ,guatemala z !y prep>e to ex]cise _! fundam5tal democratic "r to vote 9 _! c\ntry's upcom+ ,june #af1 #bjai1 g5]al elections2 7#b7 enc\rages all ,guatemalan political actors & in/itutions to take cont9u$ /eps to uphold a free1 fair1 & transp>5t electoral process2 7#c7 expresses grave conc]ns ab\t-- 7,a7 ! involvem5t ( c]ta9 ,guatemalan presid5tial c&idates 9 illicit activities2 7,b7 ef=ts by int]national crim9al organizations to influ5ce ! ,guatemalan political sy/em2 7,c7 ! politically motivat$ disqualification ( c]ta9 competitive1 indep5d5t c&idates 9 ord] to re/rict ! *oices available to ! p ( ,guatemala2 & 7,d7 ongo+ evid5ce ( corruption ( (ficials t p]mitt$ an e/imat$ #adjj metric tons ( coca9e to pass ?r\gh ,guatemala de/9$ = ! ,unit$ ,/ates la/ ye>2 7#d7 enc\rages ,guatemalan presid5tial c&idates to commit to tak+ /rong & su/a9$ action foll[+ ! election to /r5g!n ! rule ( law1 combat corruption & impunity1 & address human rights abuses & ! und]ly+ conditions ( pov]ty 9 ! c\ntry2 7#e7 urges ! next presid5t ( ,guatemala to take effective /eps to /r5g!n ! rule ( law1 address ! influ5ce ( crim9al organizations & drug c>tels on ,guatemala's political sy/em1 & combat corruption & impunity1 includ+ by ree/abli%+ ! m&ate ( ! ,unit$ ,nations ,int]national ,commission ,aga9/ ,impunity 9 ,guatemala 7,,cicig72 7#f7 condemns ! ef=ts ( ,presid5t ( ,guatemala ,jimmy ,morales to expel & und]m9e ,,cicig2 7#g7 expresses dismay ab\t ! ,trump ,adm9i/ration's failure to demon/rate ,am]ica's commitm5t to democracy1 human rights1 & ! rule ( law 9 ,guatemala2 & 7#h7 opposes ! ,trump ,adm9i/ration's decision to reprogram ,unit$ ,/ates assi/ance to ,guatemala1 ,el ,salvador1 & ,honduras4