One of the tools used by the U.S. Department of State in its continuing battle against corruption is visa restrictions of foreign officials involved in significant corruption. Under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, the Secretary of State is required to publicly identify current and former foreign officials who have been found to engage in significant corruption.
The families of designated individuals may also be publicly identified. Designated individuals and their families are ineligible for entry into the United States. To date, the State Department has publicly designated over 80 individuals related to corrupt acts under this authority.
On June 8, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the public designation of Gustavo Adolfo Alejos Cambara, a former high-level official of the Government of Guatemala, as a corrupt individual. In addition to Mr. Alejos, the Department of State publicly designated his spouse, Beatriz Jansa Bianchi; his son, Jose Javier Alejos Jansa; his son, Gustavo Andres Alejos Jansa; and his minor daughter.
Gustavo Adolfo Alejos Cámbara is under investigation in Guatemala for allegedly being a key member of a corruption ring involving government officials and local businessmen.
According to official documents, government officials solicited bribes from local businessmen in exchange for the awarding of state contracts. These proceeds were then allegedly laundered through offshore firms set up in Panama and Belize by the purchase of real estate.
The investigators believe that the corruption ring has been in operation through at least three administrations, going back at least a decade.
“Former Guatemalan Presidential Chief of Staff Gustavo Adolfo Alejos Cambara's corrupt actions undermine the rule of law in Guatemala,” said Secretary or State Pompeo in a tweet. “As a result, I am publicly designating him as ineligible for entry into the U.S. We stand #UnitedAgainstCorruption with the people of Guatemala.”
The United States continues to stand with the people of Guatemala in their fight against corruption.
