Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/88 of 9 January 2026 amending Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala
Date: 2026-01-09
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Guatemala, economic sanctions, international sanctions, natural person








L_202600088EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2026/88


12.1.2026







            COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2026/88
         
of 9 January 2026
         
amending Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:







(1)


On 12 January 2024, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 (1).












(2)


On the basis of a review of the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2024/254, the entries for five individuals should be updated. Moreover, the restrictive measures set out in that Decision should be extended until 13 January 2027.












(3)


Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 is amended as follows:






(1)


in Article 9, first paragraph, the date ‘13 January 2026’ is replaced by that of ‘13 January 2027’;










(2)


the Annex is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.






Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




Done at Brussels, 9 January 2026.


For the Council


The President

M. RAOUNA
            





(1)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 of 12 January 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala (OJ L, 2024/254, 15.1.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/254/oj).




ANNEX
In the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2024/254, under the heading ‘A. Natural Persons’, entries number 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 are replaced by the following corresponding entries:










 


Name


Identifying information


Reasons for listing


Date of listing




‘1.


María Consuelo PORRAS ARGUETA DE PORRES


Position(s): Attorney General of Guatemala, Head of the Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) of Guatemala
DOB: 23.8.1953
Nationality: Guatemalan
National identification number: 242159605 (passport)
Gender: female


In her position as Attorney General of Guatemala, the highest civil servant in the Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) of Guatemala (equivalent to Head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office or Chief Prosecutor), María Consuelo Porras Argueta De Porres (a.k.a. “Porras”) is involved in efforts to overturn the results of the first and second rounds of elections held in June and August 2023, including through spurious criminal investigations targeting the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the political party Movimiento Semilla and President Arévalo. Furthermore, under her leadership the Public Ministry has brought arbitrary proceedings against independent journalists, prosecutors, judges, and civil society activists including indigenous leaders and students.
María Consuelo Porras Argueta De Porres is therefore responsible for actions that undermine democracy, the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala.


2.2.2024




2.


Ángel Arnoldo PINEDA ÁVILA


Position(s): Secretary-General of the Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) of Guatemala
DOB: 10.5.1975
Nationality: Guatemalan
National identification number: 238937186 (passport)
Gender: male


Ángel Pineda Ávila is the Secretary-General of the Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) of Guatemala (equivalent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office). He is second-in-command in the Public Ministry after the Attorney General, and Head of the General Secretariat of that institution. In that position, Ángel Pineda Ávila is involved in efforts to overturn the results of the first and second round of elections held in June and August 2023, including through spurious criminal investigations targeting the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the political party Movimiento Semilla and President Arévalo. In December 2023, he participated in a press conference where the Public Ministry presented claims that the outcome of the first round of elections in June 2023 was invalid. In 2025, Ángel Pineda Ávila engaged in the spurious investigation into indigenous leaders who were accused of terrorism for their actions in defending the 2023 election results.
Ángel Pineda Ávila is therefore engaging in actions that undermine democracy, the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala.


2.2.2024




3.


José Rafael CURRUCHICHE CUCUL


Position(s): Head of the Special Prosecution Office Against Impunity, Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) of Guatemala
DOB: 28.7.1970
Nationality: Guatemalan
National identification number: 229488307 (passport)
Gender: male


José Curruchiche Cucul is the Head of the Special Prosecution Office Against Impunity (FECI), which operates under the Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) of Guatemala (equivalent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office). Under his leadership, the FECI spearheaded the ongoing investigation into the creation of the political party Movimiento Semilla of President Arévalo. He personally participated in the raid by the Public Ministry of the premises of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal that entailed the opening of sealed ballot boxes. Additionally, he was involved in the request for the suspension of the legal personality of Movimiento Semilla in July 2023. Furthermore, in December 2023 he participated in a press conference where the Public Ministry presented claims that the outcome of the first round of elections in June 2023 was invalid. He has been personally involved in the spurious investigation into and the spurious prosecution of democratically elected authorities, former representatives of the media (such as journalist José Rubén Zamora), as well as justice operators, especially the spurious investigation into and the spurious prosecution of those who fought against corruption and impunity with the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).
Through those actions, José Curruchiche Cucul is involved in efforts to overturn the results of the 2023 elections in Guatemala. He is therefore responsible for actions that undermine democracy, the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala.


2.2.2024




7.


Ricardo Rafael MÉNDEZ-RUIZ VALDÉS


Position(s): President, Foundation against Terrorism (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT
Date of birth: 9.10.1959
Nationality: Guatemalan
National identification number: 268287872 (passport)
Gender: male
Associated individuals: Raúl Amílcar Falla Ovalle
Associated entities: Foundation against Terrorism (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT
Social media: https://x.com/rmendezruiz



Ricardo Méndez-Ruiz Valdés is President of the Foundation Against Terrorism (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT. The FCT is involved in a campaign of politically-motivated prosecutions led by the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office against journalists, indigenous leaders, prosecutors and judges who have been involved in exposing corruption and impunity in Guatemala as well as against the democratically-elected government of Guatemala, including President Bernardo Arévalo. The FCT has initiated a multitude of criminal investigations against justice operators, journalists and representatives of the government through the filing of criminal complaints and by acting as third party plaintiff in criminal proceedings that do not respect the fundamental rights of the defendants.
Through those actions, Ricardo Méndez-Ruiz Valdés has engaged in actions that undermine the rule of law in Guatemala, including the persecution and intimidation of representatives of the media, civil society, and of lawyers, judges and prosecutors.


12.6.2025




8.


Raúl Amílcar FALLA OVALLE


Position(s): Legal representative, Foundation against Terrorism (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT
Date of birth: 9.11.1971
Nationality: Guatemalan
National identification number: 179421166 (passport)
Gender: male
Associated individuals: Ricardo Méndez-Ruiz Valdés
Associated entities: Foundation against Terrorism (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT
Social media: https://x.com/RaulFalla31



Raúl Falla Ovalle is the legal representative of the Foundation Against Terrorism (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT. The FCT is involved in a campaign of politically-motivated prosecutions led by the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office against journalists, indigenous leaders, prosecutors and judges who have been involved in exposing corruption and impunity in Guatemala as well as against the democratically elected government of Guatemala, including President Bernardo Arévalo. The FCT has initiated a multitude of criminal investigations against justice operators, journalists and representatives of the government through the filing of criminal complaints and by acting as third party plaintiff in criminal proceedings that do not respect the fundamental rights of defendants.
Through those actions, Raúl Falla Ovalle engages in actions that undermine the rule of law in Guatemala, including persecution and intimidation of representatives of the media, civil society, and of lawyers, judges and prosecutors.


12.6.2025’








ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/88/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)