Guatemala Questions New Law
Different Guatemalan sectors have expressed serious concern Saturday for the reduction of sentences for serious crimes and other inconsistencies, as agreed in a new law against organized crime.

The text, passed Thursday by the Guatemalan Congress, is inconsistent in that it classifies 28 crimes as serious but only gives half of the maximum sentence agreed for any one who commits them.

The president of the Lawyers´ College, Yolanda Ruiz, affirmed

crime and violence affecting the country must be solved taking the Guatemalan realities into consideration.

With the new law, those accused of murder and kidnapping, currently

sentenced to 25-50 year imprisonment or to death, or drug trafficking and money laundering (20 years in prison) will have their sentences reduced.

In fact, the death sentence would practically disappear, and those

currently waiting for such a punishment could ask for the application of the new law.

Analysts wonder if the law was a mistake or something worse is happening, and condemn that pornography, arms trade, and rape are no longer including in the organized crime rating by the newly approved law.