Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/88 of 9 January 2026 amending Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2026/88 12.1.2026 COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2026/88 of 9 January 2026 amending Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Whereas: (1) On 12 January 2024, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2024/254(1). (2) On the basis of a review of the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2024/254, the entries for five individuals should be updated. Moreover, the restrictive measures set out in that Decision should be extended until 13 January 2027. (3) Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 should therefore be amended accordingly, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 is amended as follows: (1) in Article 9, first paragraph, the date ‘13 January 2026’ is replaced by that of ‘13 January 2027’; (2) the Annex is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision. Article 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Done at Brussels, 9 January 2026. For the Council The President M. RAOUNA (1) Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/254 of 12 January 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala (OJ L, 2024/254, 15.1.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/254/oj). ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/88/oj 1/6ANNEX In the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2024/254, under the heading ‘A. Natural Persons’, entries number 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 are replaced by the following corresponding entries: Name Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing ‘1. María Consuelo PORRAS Position(s): Attorney General of Guatemala, In her position as Attorney General of Guatemala, the highest civil servant in the 2.2.2024 ARGUETA DE PORRES Head of the Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) of Guatemala (equivalent to Head of the Public of Guatemala Prosecutor’s Office or Chief Prosecutor), María Consuelo Porras Argueta De Porres (a.k.a. “Porras”) is involved in efforts to overturn the results of the first and second DOB: 23.8.1953 rounds of elections held in June and August 2023, including through spurious Nationality: Guatemalan criminal investigations targeting the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the political party Movimiento Semilla and President Arévalo. Furthermore, under her leadership the National identification number: 242159605 Public Ministry has brought arbitrary proceedings against independent journalists, (passport) prosecutors, judges, and civil society activists including indigenous leaders and students. Gender: female María Consuelo Porras Argueta De Porres is therefore responsible for actions that undermine democracy, the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala. 2/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/88/oj EN OJ L, 12.1.2026Name Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing 2. Ángel Arnoldo PINEDA ÁVILA Position(s): Secretary-General of the Public Ángel Pineda Ávila is the Secretary-General of the Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) 2.2.2024 Ministry (Ministerio Público) of Guatemala of Guatemala (equivalent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office). He is second-in-command in the Public Ministry after the Attorney General, and Head of the General Secretariat DOB: 10.5.1975 of that institution. In that position, Ángel Pineda Ávila is involved in efforts to Nationality: Guatemalan overturn the results of the first and second round of elections held in June and August 2023, including through spurious criminal investigations targeting the Supreme National identification number: 238937186 Electoral Tribunal, the political party Movimiento Semilla and President Arévalo. In (passport) December 2023, he participated in a press conference where the Public Ministry presented claims that the outcome of the first round of elections in June 2023 was Gender: male invalid. In 2025, Ángel Pineda Ávila engaged in the spurious investigation into indigenous leaders who were accused of terrorism for their actions in defending the 2023 election results. Ángel Pineda Ávila is therefore engaging in actions that undermine democracy, the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/88/oj 3/6 OJ L, 12.1.2026 ENName Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing 3. José Rafael CURRUCHICHE Position(s): Head of the Special Prosecution José Curruchiche Cucul is the Head of the Special Prosecution Office Against 2.2.2024 CUCUL Office Against Impunity, Public Ministry Impunity (FECI), which operates under the Public Ministry (Ministerio Público) of (Ministerio Público) of Guatemala Guatemala (equivalent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office). Under his leadership, the FECI spearheaded the ongoing investigation into the creation of the political party DOB: 28.7.1970 Movimiento Semilla of President Arévalo. He personally participated in the raid by the Nationality: Guatemalan Public Ministry of the premises of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal that entailed the opening of sealed ballot boxes. Additionally, he was involved in the request for the National identification number: 229488307 suspension of the legal personality of Movimiento Semilla in July 2023. Furthermore, (passport) in December 2023 he participated in a press conference where the Public Ministry presented claims that the outcome of the first round of elections in June 2023 was Gender: male invalid. He has been personally involved in the spurious investigation into and the spurious prosecution of democratically elected authorities, former representatives of the media (such as journalist José Rubén Zamora), as well as justice operators, especially the spurious investigation into and the spurious prosecution of those who fought against corruption and impunity with the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). Through those actions, José Curruchiche Cucul is involved in efforts to overturn the results of the 2023 elections in Guatemala. He is therefore responsible for actions that undermine democracy, the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala. 4/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/88/oj EN OJ L, 12.1.2026Name Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing 7. Ricardo Rafael MÉNDEZ-RUIZ Position(s): President, Foundation against Ricardo Méndez-Ruiz Valdés is President of the Foundation Against Terrorism 12.6.2025 VALDÉS Terrorism (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT. The FCT is involved in a campaign of FCT politically-motivated prosecutions led by the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office against journalists, indigenous leaders, prosecutors and judges who have been Date of birth: 9.10.1959 involved in exposing corruption and impunity in Guatemala as well as against the Nationality: Guatemalan democratically-elected government of Guatemala, including President Bernardo Arévalo. The FCT has initiated a multitude of criminal investigations against justice National identification number: 268287872 operators, journalists and representatives of the government through the filing of (passport) criminal complaints and by acting as third party plaintiff in criminal proceedings that do not respect the fundamental rights of the defendants. Gender: male Through those actions, Ricardo Méndez-Ruiz Valdés has engaged in actions that Associated individuals: Raúl Amílcar Falla undermine the rule of law in Guatemala, including the persecution and intimidation Ovalle of representatives of the media, civil society, and of lawyers, judges and prosecutors. Associated entities: Foundation against Terrorism (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT Social media: https://x.com/rmendezruiz ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/88/oj 5/6 OJ L, 12.1.2026 ENName Identifying information Reasons for listing Date of listing 8. Raúl Amílcar FALLA OVALLE Position(s): Legal representative, Foundation Raúl Falla Ovalle is the legal representative of the Foundation Against Terrorism 12.6.2025’ against Terrorism (Fundación contra el (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT. The FCT is involved in a campaign of Terrorismo), FCT politically-motivated prosecutions led by the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office against journalists, indigenous leaders, prosecutors and judges who have been Date of birth: 9.11.1971 involved in exposing corruption and impunity in Guatemala as well as against the Nationality: Guatemalan democratically elected government of Guatemala, including President Bernardo Arévalo. The FCT has initiated a multitude of criminal investigations against justice National identification number: 179421166 operators, journalists and representatives of the government through the filing of (passport) criminal complaints and by acting as third party plaintiff in criminal proceedings that do not respect the fundamental rights of defendants. Gender: male Through those actions, Raúl Falla Ovalle engages in actions that undermine the rule Associated individuals: Ricardo Méndez-Ruiz of law in Guatemala, including persecution and intimidation of representatives of the Valdés media, civil society, and of lawyers, judges and prosecutors. Associated entities: Foundation against Terrorism (Fundación contra el Terrorismo), FCT Social media: https://x.com/RaulFalla31 6/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/88/oj EN OJ L, 12.1.2026