In a surprising turn of events, Rafael Curruchiche, the controversial prosecutor in Guatemala, announced via social media that the Third Chamber of Appeals has ordered the arrest of Iván Velásquez Gómez, former commissioner of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), and Luz Adriana Camargo, the current Attorney General of Colombia. They face serious accusations including illicit association, obstruction of justice, influence peddling, and collusion. Velásquez, a distinguished jurist known for his anti-corruption efforts, recently served as Colombia's Defense Minister under President Gustavo Petro. Camargo, another esteemed legal expert, holds the office of Attorney General.

The prosecutor has sought Interpol's intervention to facilitate the apprehension of these influential figures. Curruchiche claims Velásquez led a "criminal structure" that benefited Odebrecht executives, resulting in Guatemala's loss of over three billion quetzales. This contentious decision challenges Velásquez's immunity status granted by the United Nations-backed CICIG, which allowed him and his collaborators, including Camargo, to conduct unfettered investigations within Guatemala. Former Guatemalan prosecutor Juan Francisco Sandoval criticized this move as a judicial overreach, labeling the arrest orders as "a monument to arbitrariness."

The case against Velásquez and Camargo, initiated in 2023, is widely perceived by analysts as a retaliatory measure against the CICIG's relentless crusade against corruption among political elites, particularly those implicated in Odebrecht's bribery schemes. Velásquez was accused of being aware of "corrupt negotiations" with Odebrecht, yet evidence indicates he approved justice cooperation agreements with former executives for more detailed disclosures about corrupt politicians. These agreements, endorsed by the Supreme Court, were annulled by Guatemala's Public Ministry in 2022.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has staunchly defended Velásquez, rejecting the arrest order in disbelief, and Human Rights Watch's Juan Pappier dismissed the accusations as baseless. Brian Nichols, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, expressed concern over targeting individuals dedicated to ensuring accountability for corruption in Guatemala related to Odebrecht.

Curruchiche himself has been scrutinized, appearing on a U.S. government list of individuals accused of threatening democratic institutions and processes, engaging in corruption, or obstructing corruption investigations in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. His controversial leadership extended to prosecuting prominent journalist José Rubén Zamora.

The backdrop of these accusations involves former Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, who expelled Velásquez in 2018 following investigations implicating his inner circle, subsequently terminating CICIG's operations in 2019.