Guatemala: Rights Official at Risk of Dismissal

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07/22/2020

Members of Guatemala’s Congress should act swiftly to block the attempt by a number of lawmakers to remove the ombudsperson, Jordán Rodas, for supporting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and access to abortion, Human Rights Watch said today. On July 6, 2020, the legislature’s human rights commission summoned ombudsperson Rodas to a plenary session of Congress “to be held accountable for his activities in office and the actions taken during his tenure,” because of his public statements in support of LGBT rights. “The fact that lawmakers want to remove the top human rights authority for doing his job reveals their lack of understanding of what protecting human rights means,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “Dismissing ombudsperson Rodas for showing a commitment to protect the rights of minorities and women would be a serious setback for Guatemala.”

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