Fire investigations will harm Guatemala’s Morales

Significance

Morales’s comments follow the attorney-general’s filing of a request with the Supreme Court on June 12 to remove his immunity from prosecution in connection with the fire. Although the Supreme Court may not approve the attorney-general’s request, it is indicative of the growing negative sentiment towards Morales, who is still less than halfway through his term.

Impacts

• Child welfare programmes could be at risk from reductions to USAID funding to Central America.
• Investigations into the scandal that brought down former President Otto Perez Molina (2012-15) could reveal further high-level corruption.
• Child welfare programmes will face increased scrutiny from agencies such as UNICEF, which may reveal more examples of mistreatment.