In February 2020, FECI discovered that while in pre-trial detention for his prior alleged corrupt activities, Gustavo Adolfo Alejos Cambara (Gustavo), the former Chief of Staff for the Alvaro Colom presidential administration from 2008–2012, had been seeking to influence the judicial selection process for magistrates to the CSJ and Court of Appeals. To do this, Gustavo reportedly facilitated payments to congressional representatives and judges on the CSJ, in coordination with Felipe Alejos Lorenzana (Felipe), to influence an outcome at both institutions that would secure Gustavo’s future release from prison, dismiss the corruption charges against him, and protect Felipe — as well as CSJ judges — from future prosecution due to corruption.
As a result of FECI’s investigation, the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office requested an injunction with respect to the judicial selection process. The Public Prosecutor’s Office argued that the candidate rosters submitted had been tampered with and influenced by individuals who were facing criminal charges. The Constitutional Court reviewed the report prepared by the Public Prosecutor’s Office that described Gustavo’s relationships and ruled that the judges would instead be elected by vote; any candidates deemed unsuitable would be excluded from the election.
Additionally, Gustavo, who is currently under house arrest, has been the target of several corruption-related investigations. For instance, in 2019, Gustavo was accused of receiving bribes from a businessman as part of a corruption network involving money laundering and bribery in government construction contracts in Guatemala. Gustavo reportedly purchased offshore assets in Panama and Belize in an effort to obfuscate these funds; Gustavo also purchased property that was later gifted to officials in exchange for political favors. FECI issued an arrest warrant against Gustavo related to these alleged corrupt activities. [1]
Information
| IDENTIFYING INFORMATION | Former Chief of Staff for the Alvaro Colom presidential administration |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 25.10.1966 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Guatemala |
| NATIONALITY | Guatemala |
| COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE | Guatemala |
| FULL NAME | Gustavo Adolfo Alejos Cambara |
| FIRST AND MIDDLE NAME(S) | RaiGustavo Adolfombek |
| ALIASES | Gustavo Alejos Cambara |
| FAMILY MEMBERS | Beatriz Jansa Bianchi - wife Jose Javier Alejos Jansa - son Gustavo Andres Alejos Jansa - son and a minor daughter. |
| FAMILY MEMBERS SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS | Beatriz Jansa Bianchi - wife Jose Javier Alejos Jansa - son Gustavo Andres Alejos Jansa - son and a minor daughter. [1] |
| SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED OVERSEAS PROPERTIES | Offshore assets in Panama and Belize. [1] [2] |
| SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED LINKS TO OTHER ASSETS | Property that was later gifted to officials in exchange for political favors. [1] Accused of receiving bribes worth up to $7 million through a network that demanded payments from businesses in exchange for public construction contracts. [2] |
| ESTIMATES OF ASSETS FROZEN OR CONFISCATED | Unknown |
| ESTIMATES OF ASSETS RETURNED | None |
| SANCTIONS REGIMES | US Global Magnitsky Sanctions. [1] |
| START OF SANCTIONS | 26.04.2021 [1] |