The week the US media picked up on State Department criminality in Guatemala

The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

The honest Attorney General of Guatemala is David against Goliath

Some of us have been working in the trenches to expose the criminality of the Department of State (DOS) in Guatemala for years. This month the story reached a large audience, thanks to two exposures by American journalists. Americans need action now: Congressional investigations and rolling heads.

On May 7, 11 members of the Chamber sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighting the anti-American behavior of the DOS in Guatemala. Shortly thereafter, Tucker Carlson and Robby Starbuck posted videos, including in-depth interviews, on the same topic. These developments complement the work of the BizPac Review and the Impunity Observer on the betrayal of our country by the foreign policy establishment.

Tucker Carlson gives CICIG a day in the sun

Carlson interviewed former Guatemalan Intelligence Secretary (2016-2020) Mario Duarte on his first-hand experience with the imposition of DOS in Guatemala. Duarte, also a US citizen, said DOS has weaponized the government to force its “socialist ideological and narrative projects” on allied nations.

*Subtitled Interview*

This is the most controversial journalist in the world.

Tucker Carlson ( @TuckerCarlson ) interviewing Mario Duarte ( @MarioDuarteGar )

About the reality that happens in #Guatemala

Patriots vs. Globalists#MAGA pic.twitter.com/tKwYGCMP6V

— Hamlet Alejandro ن (@hamlet_a16) May 10, 2024

Duarte was identified as part of the DOS attack on the International Commission against Impunity created by the UN in Guatemala (CICIG). He called the CICIG a “tool of political persecution that specifically targeted conservative people under the guise of fighting corruption.”

More recently, DOS has employed “direct threats” across the region, such as “removing visas and various types of sanctions.” The intent is to coerce people into “following the line of any narrative [DOS has] that day.” DOS has a “widespread network of NGOs and international institutions” that collaborate with it.

Duarte mentioned that “under the guise of fighting corruption and fighting narcotics, DOS imposed “ideas of the socialist agenda, gender ideology and others aligned with the globalist agenda of the UN.” Duarte said that despite DOS spending hundreds of millions of dollars on anti-narcotics, it has nothing to show for it.

When Carlson asked him to identify some of the NGOs interfering in Guatemala, Duarte replied that one of many is the Soros Foundation, presumably referring to the Soros Foundation. Open society foundations. Carlson asked if DOS knew of NGOs helping illegal migrants get to the United States from Central America. Duarte replied: “Not only with the knowledge of [DOS]but several of these NGOs were also receiving money and are still receiving money from USAID.”

Duarte says the DOS has many tools to coerce Latin American leaders and they apply them to elections. Duarte said the 2023 elections were marred by corruption within the electoral authority. Carlson asked, “The [Joe] Did the Biden administration help cover up voter fraud?

“Yes,” Duarte said. “[The Biden regime] definitively covered up for the president who supposedly won and actively tried to block investigations into the fraudulent election process.” DOS sanctioned the investigating prosecutors. It summoned Guatemalans to the U.S. Embassy and threatened them and their businesses if they did not press for the investigations to end, which is a crime.

Carlson responded that it's “so corrupt. It's sad to hear.”

Robby Starbuck looks at TWO linked to child trafficking

starbucks interview de Angel Pineda, the Secretary General of the Attorney General of Guatemala (AGO), mentioned some of the same points as Duarte. According to Pineda, the DOS cut off cooperation with the AGO and sanctioned him and Attorney General Consuelo Porras after she and Pineda fired 15 members of the AGO. Pineda added that not working with the AGO negatively affects US interests in fighting transnational crime.

There is a scandal in Guatemala that everyone needs to know about. Guatemala's attorney general is investigating child trafficking at the US border, and the Biden administration appears to be retaliating.

The interview you're about to hear is apparently so dangerous that… pic.twitter.com/c82irgOwcL

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) May 13, 2024

Starbuck read a letter from Pineda to Texas AG Ken Paxton asking for cooperation in investigating the sex abuse and trafficking of Guatemalan children in Texas. Starbuck said Pineda had been “warned by someone connected to the U.S. Embassy that he was 'playing with fire' by giving this interview.” Pressed by Starbuck for more details, Pineda said, “You can interpret it either way… [it will] not to stop work, but yes, I have to protect myself, protect my family”.

Pineda stated that the AGO is investigating the financing of intimidation protesters active from October to January. AGO staff and the public were prevented from accessing the AGO offices. Pineda tied it to the AGO that investigates the electoral fraud mentioned Duarte, which has been overdone reported on these pages.

The Pro-Patria League Association (a society governed by the rule of law) linked the violent protests at DOS. The League too said this is sedition and he attributes it to the Biden regime despair remove Porras as AG, cover up his crimes and illegally keep Arévalo in the presidency. It would be removed if the law was properly enforced.

On May 5, Porras he asked The superior court of Guatemala for a precautionary measure against Arévalo for having tried to impeach her in an unconstitutional manner. He told the court that there was a “real, certain and imminent threat” that Arévalo's illegal measures could lead to attacks on his physical integrity and life. The court immediately granted the injunction.

Also on May 5 the leaders of the Guatemalan Congress known at the U.S. ambassador's residence to discuss legislation aimed at impeaching Porras. On May 6, Arévalo introduced the legislation.

Taking a stand in Congress

The 11 US representatives asked Blinken if DOS officials had been involved in promoting Arévalo's legislative priorities. They also asked whether DOS or USAID officials had met with or invited members of the Guatemalan Congress to the embassy or the ambassador's residence for this purpose.

In Starbuck's conclusion, he says, “If the Biden administration gets its way … Porras will be replaced by Biden administration loyalists.” Acting faithfully to his oath of office pits Porras against the amoral Biden regime. She puts her life on the line for her principles and is not only an invaluable asset to her country, but to ours as well.

The Chamber must go beyond the letters. Investigations into US actions in Guatemala would uncover personal corruption and betrayal by Biden's DOS. The same goes for the complicity of the DOS and Biden regime in the flows of illegal migrants and narcotics to undermine our republic. Such exposure would prevent the future ability of the foreign policy establishment to betray us.

Steve Hecht is an entrepreneur, writer and film producer, born and raised in New York. He has lived and worked in Guatemala since 1972. He holds a degree in Economic Sciences and a Master of Business Administration in Banking and Finance, both from Columbia University.

Latest messages from Steve Hecht (see everything)

We have zero tolerance for comments that contain violence, racism, profanity, profanity, doxing, or rude behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it, click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for engaging with us in a fruitful conversation.