US decides not to participate in Guatemala’s adoption program, says corruption still concern

US won’t participate in Guatemala adoption program

GUATEMALA CITY — The United States won’t participate in Guatemala’s pilot adoption program.

The U.S. State Department says Guatemala hasn’t provided enough details on how cases will be processed under a system enacted in 2008 and corruption remains a concern.

Guatemala suspended international adoptions in 2007 after discovering some babies had been stolen and others had fake birth certificates. Guatemala had been the world’s second-largest source of babies to U.S. citizens after China.

Rudy Zepeda, spokesman for Guatemala’s National Adoptions Council, declined Thursday to comment on the U.S. move. The State Department announced the decision Wednesday on its website.