- 22 - at times became “baby factories” and, at other times, worked together to obtain children and generate profits based on the desperation of the parents – in particular women in very difficult situations – at times by deception.” Expert opinion of Nigel Cantwell provided by affidavit on May 5, 2017 (evidence file, folio 6940). According to a 2003 report of the Social Welfare Secretariat, in Guatemala, it was possible “to pay from US$12,000 to US$15,000” (United States dollars) to adopt a child under the notarial procedure. According to expert witness Carolina Pimentel González, the adoption of a Guatemalan baby came to cost “from US$30,000 to US$80,000.” According to expert witness Jaime Tecú, an adoption costed approximately US$25,000. Cf. Social Welfare Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic and Movimiento Social por los Derechos de la Niñez y la Juventud, “Public policy and national plan of action in favor of children and adolescents, 2004-2015, December 2003 (evidence file, folio 416); expert opinion of Carolina Pimentel González provided by affidavit on May 16, 2017 (evidence file, folio 7278); expert opinion provided by Jaime Tecú during the public hearing held before this Court and written version of this opinion (merits report, folio 1100). 43 Cf. Expert opinion provided by Jaime Tecú during the public hearing held before this Court. Between 1996 and 2006, adoptions increased 6.7 times. Between 1997 and 2006, 27,140 Guatemalan children were placed in adoption and, of these, only 2.4% were in country adoptions; the remaining 97.6% were intercountry adoptions. Cf. Social Welfare Secretariat, Human Rights Office of the Archbishopric of Guatemala and others, “Adopciones en Guatemala ¿protección o mercado?”, November 2007, p. 24 (evidence file, folios 3140 and 3142). 44 Cf. Expert opinion provided by Jaime Tecú during the public hearing held before this Court. According to expert witness Jaime Tecú, from 1977 to 1989, there are “few or no records of what happened.” A Peace Secretariat report on adoptions between 1977 and 1989 cites figures and records of the Social Welfare Secretariat. Cf. Peace Archives Directorate of the Peace Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, “Las adopciones y los derechos humanos de la niñez Guatemalteca, 1977-1989,” 2009, p. 77 (evidence file, folio 3621). However, the November 2007 report of the Social Welfare Secretariat indicates that it has no precise records of adoptions prior to 1996. Cf. Social Welfare Secretariat, Human Rights Office of the Archbishopric of Guatemala and others, “Adopciones en Guatemala ¿protección o mercado?”, November 2007, p. 24 (evidence file, folio 3140). 45 Cf. Expert opinion provided by Jaime Tecú during the public hearing held before this Court, and Social Welfare Secretariat, Human Rights Office of the Archbishopric of Guatemala and others, “Adopciones en Guatemala ¿protección o mercado?”, November 2007 (evidence file, folio 3140). 46 Cf. Latin American Institute for Education and Communication (ILPEC), Report prepared for UNICEF, “Adoption and the Rights of the Child in Guatemala,” 2000 (evidence file, folio 2960), and Social Welfare Secretariat, Human Rights Office of the Archbishopric of Guatemala and others, “Adopciones en Guatemala ¿protección o mercado?”, November 2007 (evidence file, folio 3140). See also, IACHR, Fifth Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Guatemala, OEA/Ser.L/V/II.111, Doc.21rev., April 6, 2001, Chapter XII, para. 38, and expert opinion provided by Jaime Tecú during the public hearing held before this Court. 47 Cf. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography following the July 1999 visit, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2000/73/Add.2, para. 12 (evidence file, folio 2730), and Latin American Institute for Education and Communication (ILPEC), Report prepared for UNICEF, “Adoption and the Rights of the Child in Guatemala,” 2000 (evidence file, folio 2984). 48 Cf. Expert opinion of Carolina Pimentel González provided by affidavit on May 16, 2017 (evidence file, folio 7280), and CICIG, Report on irregular adoptions in Guatemala, p. 25 (evidence file, folio 3022). 49 Cf. Expert opinion of Carolina Pimentel González provided by affidavit on May 16, 2017 (evidence file, folio 7280), and written version of the expert opinion provided by Jaime Tecú during the public hearing held before this Court, indicating that the adoptions of more than 37,000 children were processed between 1990 and 2007 (merits report, folio 1101). 50