Question #2 and #2.5

Question 2.5

Costa Rica's Attorney General Francisco Dall'Anese did indeed announce today that he will renounce his post and travel to Guatemala on the 1st of August to begin his term as the Commissioner of the CICIG.

Question 2 - Part Answer

Dall'Anese speaks in vague, meaningless phrases - the opposite of Castresana's concise, brave and definitive statements that made him such an intriguing visionary in the fight against impunity in Guatemala. Statements like the following strike me as sufficient reason for unease and suspicion:

Bland Statement #1

“Yo no quiero arrastrar los problemas que haya tenido el doctor Castresana con las autoridades guatemaltecas. Empezaré de cero y trataré de que las cosas funcionen”, expresó.

Translation: "I don't want to bring along the problems that Castresana has had with Guatemalan authorities. I will start from scratch and try to make things work."

Unease: From someone who respects and admires the work that Castresana has done in Guatemala, and who will hold little over a one year term, this sounds erroneous, short-sighted and vague. It sounds almost like a strategy to free himself from accusations of failure if he is unable to perform.

Source: Prensa Libre, 21 de julio, 2010 "Dall'Anese afirma que no hay receta magica" por Coralia Orantes http://www.prensalibre.com/noticias/DallAnese-afirma-receta-magica_0_302369798.html:

Bland Statement #2

Statement: “Una sociedad sin prensa no es democrática."

Translation: "A society without the press is not democratic."

Unease: This goes without saying.

Source: CICIG website, http://cicig.org/index.php?page=fiscal-general-de-costa-rica

Bland Statement #3

Statement: “Nadie puede ir de afuera con recetas mágicas para sanear el sistema judicial; en realidad Guatemala es y va a ser lo que los guatemaltecos quieren que sea”.

Translation: "No outsider can come in with a magic recipe to cleanse the judicial system. The reality is that Guatemala is and will be what the Guatemalans want it to be."

Unease: Who are "los guatemaltecos" that want the system to be wrought with corruption and impunity? How about those who are silences by fear or powerless because of poverty or exclusion? His statement suggests he is already defeated by the political obstacles Castresana found overwhelming.

Source: Prensa Libre, 21 de julio, 2010 "Dall'Anese afirma que no hay receta magica" por Coralia Orantes http://www.prensalibre.com/noticias/DallAnese-afirma-receta-magica_0_302369798.html:


Judging from these statements, Dall'Anese is not the fighter, the careful but bold decision-maker that will be needed to continue Castresana's work. If Dall'Anese is not successful, there is a change that the Guatemalan Mission to the UN will not apply to continue the work of the CICIG, and the project will be scrubbed, just as other Central American countries are taking an interest in adopting a regional impunity fighting body based on the CICIG model. A pity to say, but this is not looking good.

Can we trust Francisco Dall’Anese?

The unusual, innovative, and highly successful International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala is under new management. The resignation of ex-Commissioner Carlos Castresana prompted a sudden national discouragement with one of the most innovative, probing attempts to cleanse a corrupt justice and security system ever known. Meaningful questions now rest on whether or not his successor, the present Attorney General of Costa Rica, Francisco Dall’Anese will be as successful as Castresana. Over the next few weeks, I will be exploring some of these questions as I read through Dall’Anese´s writings on justice and security, and explore some of his positions. I plan to investigate the following questions:

Question #1

Is it advantageous to have another Central American in charge of the CICIG? Central America is a unique region where judges may develop a tough-on-organized-crime record as a disguise. Organized crime is not one, static evil, but an ever-changing band of families and cartels that operate in different regions, use different tactics and develop opposing political alliances. An impressive record against corruption and impunity serves to quell public fears surrounding a judge´s professional integrity, while silently breaking down one criminal band in the service of another.

Question #2

Is Dall’Anese fully cognizant of the CICIG´s operations? Does his professional career demonstrate that he fully understands the amount of engagement and the advisory role that the CICIG must take to be successful? Is he motivated to act accordingly?

Question #2.5

Will he continue on as Attorney General of Costa Rica during his contract as CICIG Commissioner?

Question #3

Does he have sufficient knowledge of the Guatemalan context? Costa Rica did not suffer through 36 years of civil war, nor is San José among the most dangerous cities in the Western Hemisphere. There is no army embarrassingly reassigned to keep domestic order. Though similarities abound, the major difference between Costa Rica and Guatemala is in the quality of justice and security. I anticipate a weak performance from Dall’Anese should he treat Guatemala too much like his home country.

Question #4

Is he likely to fall victim to the same defamation campaign as Castresana? How spotless is his personal life?

The answers will provide some insight into whether the strategy of the CICIG, or Castresana himself can be credited with the progress against impunity in Guatemala that has taken place over the past few years.

Can we trust Francisco Dall’Anese?

The unusual, innovative, and highly successful International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala is under new management. The resignation of ex-Commissioner Carlos Castresana prompted a sudden national discouragement with one of the most innovative, probing attempts to cleanse a corrupt justice and security system ever known. Meaningful questions now rest on whether or not his successor, the present Attorney General of Costa Rica, Francisco Dall’Anese will be as successful as Castresana. Over the next few weeks, I will be exploring some of these questions as I read through Dall’Anese´s writings on justice and security, and explore some of his positions. I plan to investigate the following questions:

Question #1

Is it advantageous to have another Central American in charge of the CICIG? Central America is a unique region where judges may develop a tough-on-organized-crime record as a disguise. Organized crime is not one, static evil, but an ever-changing band of families and cartels that operate in different regions, use different tactics and develop opposing political alliances. An impressive record against corruption and impunity serves to quell public fears surrounding a judge´s professional integrity, while silently breaking down one criminal band in the service of another.

Question #2

Is Dall’Anese fully cognizant of the CICIG´s operations? Does his professional career demonstrate that he fully understands the amount of engagement and the advisory role that the CICIG must take to be successful? Is he motivated to act accordingly?

Question #2.5

Will he continue on as Attorney General of Costa Rica during his contract as CICIG Commissioner?

Question #3

Does he have sufficient knowledge of the Guatemalan context? Costa Rica did not suffer through 36 years of civil war, nor is San José among the most dangerous cities in the Western Hemisphere. There is no army embarrassingly reassigned to keep domestic order. Though similarities abound, the major difference between Costa Rica and Guatemala is in the quality of justice and security. I anticipate a weak performance from Dall’Anese should he treat Guatemala too much like his home country.

The answers will provide some insight into whether the strategy of the CICIG, or Castresana himself can be credited with the progress against impunity in Guatemala that has taken place over the past few years.

Back in New York City

Now returned to New York, I will be writing on a wider range of topics. Be aware!