(Reuters) – The United States wants to see more action against corruption in Guatemala, a senior U.S. diplomat said Tuesday, expressing growing worry that anti-graft efforts there are stalling.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols made the comments during a call with reporters that focused on American-led efforts against corruption across Latin America.
“We have big worries that the fight against corruption has not advanced as we would like,” said Nichols, adding that the United States would like to see “concrete steps against corrupt individuals and institutions” in Guatemala.
In Central America’s northern triangle of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, rampant corruption is seen contributing to rising levels of U.S.-bound migration, along with other drivers including acute joblessness, gangland violence and natural disasters.
(Reporting by David Alire Garcia and David; Toro; Editing by Dave Graham and Sam Holmes)