AT THE OPENING SESSION OF THE FIFTH MEETING OF OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PENITENTIARY AND PRISON POLICIES OF THE OAS MEMBER STATES

October 21, 2025 - Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

Honorable President of the Republic of Guatemala, Mr. Bernardo Arévalo; I want to thank you for your valuable perspective and thank you for your commitment and resolve to make Guatemala a safer place;
I recognize the Heads and Members of the Delegations joining us today;
Distinguished Authorities and Officials of Guatemala; Our colleagues from the OAS; Valued Representatives of International Organizations and Civil Society;

Good morning to all,

It is an honor to welcome you to this Fifth Meeting of Authorities Responsible for Penitentiary and Prison Policies of the OAS Member States, held in the city of La Antigua, Guatemala.

Allow me to begin by expressing my appreciation to the Government of Guatemala for its generous hospitality, as well as for its commitment to strengthening penitentiary systems and promoting public policies centered around human rights and resocialization. Guatemala’s initiative to host this Meeting reflects the country’s determination to foster hemispheric cooperation in favor of more effective penitentiary systems centered around rehabilitation. The primary objective of today’s penitentiary systems embodies a shift from purely punitive in nature to transforming behavior and addressing the root causes of crime. To accomplish this new objective a supportive environment that prepares individuals for life after release becomes a crucial requirement.

The holding of this Fifth Meeting builds on the efforts launched over two decades ago, when Member States recognized that a renewed approach to penitentiary systems was essential to strengthening justice, security, and democracy in the Americas.

Under the theme “Prison Renewal in the Americas: Technology, Differentiated Approaches, and Human Dignity,” this meeting invites us to reflect on the kind of penitentiary systems we wish to build, where justice is humanized, rehabilitation and resocialization is achievable, and security is strengthened with full respect for human dignity.

Today, the challenges remain deep and persistent. In many countries of our region a surge in violence and crime, lack of financial, infrastructural and human resources, limited reintegration opportunities, and the infiltration of organized crime threaten both public security and human rights.

Overcrowding continues to severely affect penitentiary systems while adequate resocialization programs are lacking. Facilities often lack the infrastructure and services to address the specific needs of various groups of detainees, such as females and youth. Long criminal processes, due to capacity restraints, result in
beyond reasonable and fair lasting pretrial detentions. Deficiencies in the criminal justice system, more specifically for our purpose today: the prison administration, has a direct impact on human dignity and the future of healthy communities.

But let us also recognize that we have made progress. I like to acknowledge the progress and successful experiences achieved in the region:
• Legal and policy reforms improving prison conditions and promoting alternatives to incarceration;
• Social reintegration programs combining training, counseling, and post-release support;
• Innovative prison management projects grounded in data, technology, and transparency; and
• Growing efforts to incorporate a human rights perspective into the daily administration of criminal justice.
These experiences show that continuous penitentiary transformation is also possible, and from the OAS we have accompanied this process with conviction.

The challenges faced today by penitentiary systems across our region are significant. They are not limited to the operational difficulties that prison directors and commissioners must confront daily but also include fundamental ideological transformation. Prisons should be transformed to spaces that facilitate rehabilitation and foster resocialization.

And I know, having heard the president just now, that Guatemala is committed and volunteered to host this important meeting.
I regret recent developments in this country, but it show how important it is to elevate/increase our fight against transnational organized crime and gangs. Every country in our hemisphere is impacted by these criminal organizations. This may be one of the topics as part of a shared agenda for the Americas
The fight against transnational organized crime requires an integral hemispheric approach. Regionally and sub-regionally we must work together.

In today’s realities, it is crucial to reiterate that crime cannot be resolved through mass incarceration or by building more prisons. These measures, at best, temporarily incapacitate offenders and create a limited deterrent effect, but they rarely address the structural causes of criminality. Incarceration without comprehensive strategies for prevention, reintegration, and effective justice may actually perpetuate cycles of violence, exclusion, and recidivism that fuel insecurity. While in the Middle Ages we mainly thought of prison systems as purely punitive, today I believe we need to make the transition to “restorative justice” to fit the aspirations of our communities.

And in this context, special attention should be given to Youth. Youth plays a crucial role in our society and when they become through unfortunate situations part of the criminal justice system special attention is required. In many of our countries too many adolescents and young adults find themselves trapped between poverty, violence, and exclusion, with few chances to build a different future. When societies fail to offer opportunities for education, work, and belonging, crime often becomes the only path that seems open. Resocialisation must be at the core of the justice system with a focus on prevention and guidance. Our collective responsibility is to ensure that every young person in the Americas can become a productive, respected member of society, not a statistic in the justice system.

This is where….
And create a prosperous future for our youth

Ladies and gentlemen, the purpose of imprisonment—or of alternative measures—must not be limited to punishment. It should aim to protect society, reduce recidivism, and guarantee rehabilitation and social reintegration. To achieve this, we must strengthen the capacities of penitentiary staff, improve their working conditions, and promote continuous training based on international standards. We must also expand alternatives to incarceration, expedite judicial processes, and ensure that prison facilities are equipped with appropriate infrastructure, technology, and resources. Above all, we must transform prisons into spaces where human dignity is the guiding principle.

Our goal is to collectively build a regional roadmap—with feasible recommendations, concrete commitments, and effective follow-up mechanisms—that enables States to advance together toward more humane, secure, and effective penitentiary systems. At the OAS, we reaffirm our commitment to continue serving as a strategic, committed partner to member states, mobilizing cooperation, expertise, and resources to strengthen penitentiary systems.

And I want to take this opportunity, as you debate over the coming two days, to wish you all success in the two days of work ahead. ….

May this Fifth Meeting of Authorities Responsible for Penitentiary and Prison Policies of the OAS Member States be a space for open dialogue, constructive consensus, and bold reforms. I also invite you to ensure the continuity of these meetings among penitentiary and prison authorities, and I want to thank the Government of Argentina for offering to host the next meeting.

I wish you all the best, under difficult circumstances, not an easy task, but you can count on the Organization of American States.

Thank you.