GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemala says it's resuming international adoptions after a nearly two-year suspension.
The government halted them in 2007 after discovering evidence of fraud, including fake birth certificates, women being coerced into giving up their children and even baby theft. At least 25 cases led to criminal charges against doctors, lawyers, mothers and civil servants, and thousands of adoptions were put on hold.
But Guatemala's National Adoption Council says legal reforms will prevent such problems in the future and it plans to start a pilot program involving four countries. It did not say when the program would start or which countries would be involved.
Last year, the council began requiring birth mothers to personally verify they still wanted to give up their children.
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Guatemalan baby at home for unwanted and abandoned children, photo
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Guatemalan woman plays with her son, photo
