A corruption spat in Russia endangers crime-fighters in Central America

IN A region where the rule of law is shaky, the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) has become something of a beacon. Set up in 2006 to aid the country's weak prosecutors, the UN-backed body has aided investigations that led to the removal and jailing of a president, and the dismantling of death squads and drug-trafficking rings. These successes have earned it enemies'including the current president, Jimmy Morales, who tried to get its head fired last year after it accused him of accepting illegal campaign funding. On April 20th, following a public apology by a group of businessmen who made the contributions, the president demanded that CICIG's founding agreement be investigated. Guatemala's 'net centres', groups of online trolls paid to smear opponents of the powerful, have raised their output.With one in five members of congress under investigation, Mr Morales is not the only powerful Guatemalan who would like to see CICIG go. Yet every time its...Continue reading
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