In my last blog, Robert responded to questions about attitudes towards adoption in Guatemala. He was fortunate enough to interview the Deputy Attorney General (Barrios). Here are his responses to my questions.

The Deputy Attorney General of PGN has an unsavory reputation among those of us who have been through the adoption process. He has been accused of bribes and corruption, unnecessary hold ups and long holidays away from his desk leaving hundreds of cases in limbo simply because he would not sign off on them before leaving.
What was your impression of him? Did he seem believable or eager to make a good impression on you?

He was professional and courteous. He asked that I make it known that there is a phone number prospective adoptive parents can call to check up on the process of their applications that, in his opinion, cut out suspicion of corruption on the part of the PGN. He blamed private lawyers for tying up the process, saying they might withhold applications from the PGN while telling their clients – the adoptive parents – they had submitted the paperwork and it was held up in the PGN. I’d like to clarify that I answered your question based on a 30-minute interview and clearly I don’t know if what others might say about him is true

Now that you’ve interviewed the Deputy Attorney General, a minister from the government, and me, what do you have to say about the adoption process?

I interviewed the deputy attorney general Barrios, yourself and other high-ranking, and/or outspoken people and in my private, unconvinced opinion that I won’t back up if pressed on it:
I agree with those of you who have said the process as it is now is not as flawed as it is made out to be, that putting children in custody of the state is a bad idea as long as the state doesn’t have the resources to care for them, and that charging the adoptive parents for the costs of the adoption process including care of the children before they are adopted is a good idea.
I agree with those people in the government who spoke with me and said that there should be no payment given to biological mothers. That change would undercut the motivation for baby thefts and other rights violations.
The best solution is probably much greater government regulation of the private process already established.

In my next blog, Robert will respond to my questions about the media’s attitude towards Guatemalan adoptions. His responses are insightful and downright helpful!

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