Guatemalan Scandals Over
Adoption Procedures
The recently created
National Council of
adoptions (CNA) detected
40 cases of children who
were selected by
physical similarities to
offer different foreign
couples.
After checking one
thousand files in the
National General
Attorney’s power, CNA
discovered several
photographs of the minor
offered to eight
potential parents.
“The same child has
eight different files
open,” accused Elizabeth
Hernandez de Larios, a
member of the
organization.
At the conclusion of the
process, the adoptive
parents that offer more
money to attorneys among
the list of candidates
keep the child.
According to De Larios,
this method was used
constantly by the notary
publics until the Law of
Adoptions was passed
last January that
demanded the requisite
of presentation of the
baby to the future
parents.
Authorities decided to
suspend adoption
procedures for a month
and review 2,286 files
in power of the National
General Attorney’s
Office.
This decision adopted as
a result of a hunger
strike held in front of
government palace by
four mothers demanding
the return of their
stolen children that
were given to foreign
families.
Adoptions have become a
lucrative business in
this country where
notaries, lawyers,
intermediaries and
institutions walk away
with millions of
dollars.
Guatemala is the second
country in the world
sending babies abroad
and only last year about
five thousand babies
were handed over to
foreign couples, mostly
from the United States. |
