The Isabel-Claudina alert is the public name of the immediate search mechanism created by Decreto 9-2016, Guatemala’s Law on the Immediate Search for Missing Women. Article 1 creates a “mecanismo de búsqueda inmediata de mujeres desaparecidas” to protect the life, liberty, safety, integrity and dignity of women who are missing. The alert is activated by a report to the Public Ministry (MP) or the National Civil Police (PNC). Anyone can make that report, and the law removes the paperwork.
Quick summary
- Who can report: any person, without proving that they represent her (Art. 6).
- How: in writing, by phone or verbally (Art. 6), to the MP or the PNC (Art. 15).
- Phone: the MP homepage lists 1572 for women victims of violence.
- When: as soon as you believe she is missing. Search actions must start immediately after the report (Art. 5).
- Paperwork: none required. Give whatever information and documents you have (Art. 14).
- Cost: the law text contains no fee.
- Anonymity: guaranteed for people who give information and prefer it (Art. 14).
- Abroad: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinates searches with foreign authorities (Art. 17).
- Danger right now: do not wait. Report immediately to the MP or PNC by phone or in person (Art. 5, 6 and 15).
Who the alert covers
Article 3(a) of Decreto 9-2016 covers “Mujeres cuyo paradero se desconoce y ha sido presentada la denuncia”: women whose whereabouts are unknown and for whom a report has been filed. The report is what starts the mechanism.
The Article 1 text we quote does not limit the law by nationality, and the search database records nationality (Art. 19). A foreign woman living in Guatemala can therefore be reported. Foreign residents can also report, because Article 6 lets any person file.
Step by step
- Report straight away to the MP or the PNC. Article 15 says “El Ministerio Público y la Policía Nacional Civil sin más trámite, recibirán la denuncia de la desaparición”, so that the search teams can be convened. You can go in person to an MP office or a PNC station, call, or submit a written report.
- Say clearly that a woman is missing. The search must happen with urgency and priority immediately after the report (Art. 5). The text of Decreto 9-2016 that we read sets no fixed time for finding her. Article 5 requires the search to start immediately.
- Hand over everything you know. Article 14 asks reporters for “todos los datos necesarios, así como todo tipo de documentación legal que sea relevante”. The table below lists what the authorities record.
- Mention any violence she has suffered. Article 14 expressly includes “así como antecedentes de violencia en su contra”, which means a history of violence against her. If you have earlier reports or protection measures, bring them. Our guide to reporting domestic violence to the PNC explains those procedures.
- Pass on new information. Anyone can keep supplying information through any medium, anonymously if they prefer (Art. 14).
- Stay reachable. The alert ends when the authority documents that she has been located (see below).
Channels
| Channel | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| In person at the MP | Receives the report without further procedure | Decreto 9-2016, Art. 15 |
| In person at the PNC | Receives the report without further procedure | Decreto 9-2016, Art. 15 |
| Phone | The report may be made by phone | Decreto 9-2016, Art. 6 |
| MP line 1572 | “Atención de mujeres víctimas de violencia 1572” | mp.gob.gt homepage, checked 15 Oct 2026 |
| Written report | The report may be made in writing | Decreto 9-2016, Art. 6 |
Online reporting: the MP’s general online complaint form is covered in our guide to filing a complaint online. As of 15 October 2026 we could not confirm that the form has a dedicated Isabel-Claudina workflow. For a missing woman, report directly to the MP or PNC by phone or in person. For criminal complaints in general, see MP criminal complaint.
Information to have ready
No document is a precondition. Article 6 says the report is made “sin sujeción a formalidades de ninguna clase”. Article 19 does list the minimum data the search database must hold, so it helps to give as much of it as you can. Do not delay the report to gather it.
| Data the database records (Art. 19) | What to bring or say |
|---|---|
| Names and surnames | Full name, plus any other names she uses |
| Age | Her age |
| Marital status | Single, married, in a union |
| Nationality | Her nationality |
| Profession, occupation or trade | Where she works or studies |
| Address | Where she lives |
| Cultural identity / ethnic belonging | If relevant |
| Language spoken besides Spanish, or an Indigenous language | The languages she speaks |
| Date and place of the disappearance, or where she may have disappeared | When and where she was last seen |
| Status: missing or found | Updated by the authority |
| Fingerprints | If you have them |
| Photograph or physical description | A recent photo; height, build, hair, clothing, marks |
| History of violence, where applicable | Previous reports, threats, protection measures |
| Any other identifying data | Phone number, social media, vehicle, companions |
The database fields come from the law. The second column is our practical guidance.
If she may have left Guatemala
Decreto 9-2016 also covers women who may be outside the country:
- Search abroad (Art. 17): the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must coordinate with authorities in other countries “la búsqueda de aquellas mujeres que voluntariamente salieron del país y cuyo paradero al estar en tránsito es desconocido”. This covers women who left voluntarily and went missing while in transit.
- Return only if she wants it (Art. 18): women located abroad “deberán ser repatriadas únicamente si manifiestan su deseo de retornar al país”. The return must be prompt and safe.
- Consulates (Art. 18): the Ministry facilitates, through its consulates, “asistencia legal a las guatemaltecas en el extranjero”.
If you live abroad and a woman has gone missing in Guatemala, any person in Guatemala can file for you, because Article 6 requires no proof of representation. The law we read does not set out step-by-step procedures for reporting from a consulate.
When the alert ends
According to AGN, the alert “se desactiva cuando la autoridad competente documenta la localización de la mujer reportada como desaparecida”. In other words, it ends when the competent authority documents that the reported woman has been located. We did not find a primary source for a deactivation checklist.
What this page does not cover
- Fees: the law text contains no fee amount, so we do not state one.
- Recovery time: the Decreto 9-2016 text we read demands an immediate search (Art. 5), not a deadline for finding her.
- Reforms: we read a government-hosted edition of Decreto 9-2016 (SCSPR). We did not confirm whether later amendments change it.
Related pages
- File a complaint online (MP form vs PNC portal)
- MP criminal complaint
- Report domestic violence to the PNC
- PNC victim support services
Sources: Decreto 9-2016, government-hosted text at scspr.gob.gt; Public Ministry homepage; AGN. Last verified 15 October 2026.