The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala: A New Model for International Criminal Justice Mechanisms

Abstract

This article analyses the groundbreaking but little understood International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) to develop an improved rule of law model for the UN in reforming weak legal systems. It engages in an in-depth study of CICIG’s activities and a comparative analysis of CICIG against similar international criminal justice mechanisms. The authors argue that CICIG’s level of integration into the local judicial system and its dual focus on powers to promote prosecutions and institutional reform tools make it a unique model worth replicating. This article also makes recommendations to further improve CICIG’s model for future application to new contexts and countries.