NYHOMESTUDY BLOG

On March 1, the Vice President of Guatemala announced a “Manual of Good Practices” on adoption. The U.S. Ambassador attended the announcement ceremony and has received a copy of the Manual. The Manual sets forth rules that, once implemented, would be important steps toward better protecting children and both biological and adoptive parents in the adoption process in Guatemala.

The Vice President and other presenters stated that the Manual is a first step in preparing Guatemalan authorities for a national law that implements the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. The document cites the Hague Convention and reflects some of the Convention’s most basic principles, for example, that adoption must be in the best interest of the child and must not result in improper financial gain for those involved in it. The Manual also states that the courts, not private attorneys, should determine whether the child is eligible for adoption in all cases. The impact of this announcement on Guatemalan processing of specific adoption cases is not clear at this time; however, Guatemala’s Vice President indicated that these changes will be implemented gradually. The U.S. Government continues to encourage the Government of Guatemala to take measures to reform its adoption process that will lead to greater protections for children and a smooth transition toward implementation of the Hague Convention for Guatemala.