Central America’s legal systems are increasingly corrupt
In Guatemala alone some 15 legal officials have been forced to flee in the past year
“THE LAW IS a business,” says Juan, a 34-year-old who sells legal documents, including copies of the constitution, on a busy street opposite Guatemala’s highest court. “The laws I sell don’t apply; rather those with money get their way.” It is a common view in a country in which gun-toting men sometimes guard judicial offices, ostensibly to protect their inhabitants.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “Injudicious judges”
From the April 2nd 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from The Americas
Can Brazil’s left survive without Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva?
Brazil’s current president, a titan of the Latin American left, has no apparent heirs
Donald Trump is targeting Mexico like no other country
The United States’ southern neighbour is bracing for a wave of deportees and trapped migrants
The race to lead Canada’s Liberal Party hinges on handling Trump
Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland are the front-runners
Canada has adopted assisted dying faster than anywhere on Earth
The province of Quebec now allows those with deteriorating illnesses to request an assisted death in advance
Tether’s move to El Salvador is a win for President Nayib Bukele
Why the stablecoin firm has picked the Central American country for its headquarters
From Greenland to Panama and Mexico, leaders are in shock
As Donald Trump eyes fine new pieces of real estate in the Americas and beyond