 Hi, my name is Ana Maria Mendes-Ardon. I'm Director for Central America at the Washington Office in Latin America. I was invited by USIP as an expert on Guatemala to discuss with US policymakers to find ways to better address the complex situation in Guatemala. Well, there is a trend in Central America towards authoritarianism. And unfortunately, Guatemala is not the exception. After the International Commission against impunity was dismissed in 2019, the country has faced several setbacks and a erosion of democratic values manifested by the lack of judicial independence, endemic corruption, and by the infiltration of illicit networks that seeks to maintain their privileges and impunity. Corruption, along with an unequal economic systems, affects vulnerable populations. And majorities are deprived from basic public services. And ultimately, both are drivers of mass migration to the United States. Civil society in Guatemala somehow has stopped by doing its job because they are now defending themselves from harassment, prosecution, and criminalization. It seems that Guatemala is following the Nicaraguan authoritarian playbook by closing civic space, creating a hostile environment against human rights defenders, and by having political prisoners. Today, 24 independent justice operators were forced into exile or yield, such as the case of the journalist José Rubén Zamora and the former public prosecutor Virgina La Parra, both illegally incarcerated now in Guatemala. I think it is urgent to democratize the economy by, for instance, promoting exports from small enterprises, by reviewing trade agreements and loans, and by implementing economic sanctions for those private actors that have been involved in corruption or of any person that have been undermining the rule of law. Related to migration, I think that it has been a step forward that the Biden administration changed the US government's strategy by focusing on the root causes of migration and economic growth. But I would recommend that it is important to follow some current issues related to the political participation because Guatemala will have its general elections next year, so the US could and a whole international community could be promoting missions to observe the elections and to promote a more transparent process, but also by funding civil society organizations that work to promote the access to political participation and also that some organization that could be flagging some issues such as illicit campaign in Guatemala.