UN Experts Urge Guatemala to Intensify Search for Missing Persons

The experts said Guatemala still lacks a complete and consolidated national record of missing persons, despite the passage of around 40 years since the end of the internal armed conflict.

United Nations experts have urged Guatemala to open military facilities and official archives to help locate thousands of people who disappeared during the country's internal armed conflict, saying the nation has reached a crucial stage in its efforts to deliver truth and justice to affected families. The appeal came at the end of a visit by the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, which acknowledged recent government initiatives while warning that much more remains to be done.

The experts welcomed the creation of Guatemala's first Mechanism for the Humanitarian Search for Disappeared Persons and the establishment of a dedicated search team, describing these as important steps toward addressing decades of unresolved disappearances. They noted that families of victims and civil society organisations have carried much of the responsibility for search efforts over the past four decades and said the success of the new mechanism will depend on how openly state institutions cooperate.

Search efforts need stronger coordination and institutional support

The experts said Guatemala still lacks a complete and consolidated national record of missing persons, despite the passage of around 40 years since the end of the internal armed conflict. They expressed concern that search efforts remain fragmented across different institutions and stressed that cases involving disappearances occurring after the conflict should also be properly documented.

Access to military, police and intelligence records was identified as a key requirement for locating missing persons and combating impunity. The experts pointed to ongoing work to restore, organise, classify and digitise archives held by the National Civil Police and the National Registry of Reparations, saying all relevant documentation should be preserved and made accessible to support investigations.

The Working Group recognised progress made in investigating several high-profile human rights cases linked to past abuses. At the same time, it expressed concern over setbacks experienced during the past eight years, including weakened investigative capacity within the Public Prosecutor's Office and reports of criminal proceedings against officials involved in transitional justice work.

The experts urged Guatemala's newly appointed Attorney General to make investigations into enforced disappearances a priority and to strengthen the institutional framework needed to fight impunity effectively.

Victims placed at the heart of future reforms

The Working Group stressed that victims of enforced disappearance have the right to prompt, independent and impartial investigations that can identify those responsible and ensure accountability. It also underlined the importance of continuing searches for missing persons and carrying out exhumations to help families obtain long-awaited answers.

The experts praised survivors, relatives of victims, Indigenous Peoples and civil society organisations for preserving historical memory and contributing to efforts aimed at uncovering the truth. They described these groups as central to Guatemala's pursuit of justice and reconciliation.

The Working Group also welcomed the Government's efforts to prepare the Plan for Reparation and Dignification of Victims of the Internal Armed Conflict 2026–2036, while noting that its success will depend on adequate funding, effective implementation and meaningful participation by victims throughout the process.

According to the experts, the effects of enforced disappearances continue to impact families across generations, with women, Indigenous communities and other vulnerable groups often bearing the greatest burden. They warned that institutional neglect has contributed to continued inequality, exclusion and suffering.

The Working Group called on all branches of government and political leaders to work together in placing victims at the centre of national policy. It said that truth, justice, reparations and the preservation of historical memory are not only international legal obligations but also essential foundations for strengthening democracy, promoting social cohesion and supporting Guatemala's long-term development.