The Department of State designates former Guatemalan Minister of Communications, Infrastructure, and Housing Alejandro Sinibaldi due to his involvement in significant corruption. Mr. Sinibaldi engaged in and benefitted from public corruption in relation to his official duties and is now a fugitive from justice.

This designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Div. F, P.L. 116-6), as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. A, P.L. 116-59). Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that officials of foreign governments have been involved in significant corruption, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.

The law also requires the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members. In addition to the designation of Mr. Sinibaldi, the Department is also publicly designating his spouse, Maria Jose Saravia Mendoza, his son Alejandro Sinibaldi Saravia, and his two minor children.

Today’s action reaffirms U.S. commitment to combatting corruption in Guatemala and around the globe, and it sends a strong signal to other persons involved in significant corruption that they will not receive safe harbor in the United States.

For more information, please contact INL-PAPD@state.gov.