UN experts urge investigation into alleged illegal adoptions of Indigenous children in Guatemala

GENEVA — United Nations human rights experts have raised alarm over allegations that at least 80 Indigenous children in Guatemala were subjected to illegal intercountry adoptions after being institutionalised at the “Hogar Temporal Elisa Martínez” following their capture and enforced disappearance between 1968 and 1996.

In a statement issued overnight, the experts said the allegations point to serious failings in oversight and accountability, including claims of involvement by state authorities. “We are particularly troubled that no prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigation has been conducted into the alleged involvement of some State authorities in these processes and that mothers affected by these illegal adoptions have reportedly not received adequate recognition or reparations” the experts said.

The statement describes illegal adoptions as potentially involving a range of unlawful practices, including “fraud in the declaration of adoptability, falsification of official documents, coercion or lack of free and informed consent of biological parents and improper financial gain for intermediaries”.

The experts also called for independent investigations into allegations that public officials were involved in the process, highlighting claims linked to María Consuelo Porras Argueta, Guatemala’s current Attorney General and head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, who reportedly served as the children’s “legal guardian” for a period in 1982.

For Indigenous communities, the allegations sit within a broader history of conflict-era violence, family separation, and long-term trauma, with adoption and institutionalisation practices sometimes leaving families without answers for decades. Advocates say the ongoing search for truth and reunification can be hampered by missing records, inconsistent documentation, and barriers to accessing state archives.

The experts’ intervention increases international scrutiny on how Guatemala investigates historic human rights abuses and whether affected families receive recognition, support, and pathways to remedy. It also signals renewed attention to safeguards in cross-border adoption processes, including transparency requirements, the protection of children’s identity and family links, and culturally appropriate responses for Indigenous families.

The experts urged action that is independent and credible, arguing that accountability is necessary not only for justice in individual cases, but to prevent similar abuses in the future.