Observers against
Election Violence in
Guatemala
International observers
insisted on Friday on
the need to design a
preventive plan against
violence during the
election campaign and on
the voting day in
September in Guatemala.
"We have taken note of
the concern expressed by
several political
players, institutions
and social organizations
about the problems and
threats that affect the
process," says a report
from the Organization of
American States.
The head of the
delegation, former
Peruvian Foreign
Minister Diego Garcia
Sayan, told Prensa
Latina that coordination
among government
institutions and the
Supreme Election Court
must be tuned up to take
security measures.
Asked about claims that
a political group is
promoting violence,
Garcia Sayan said that
authorities must
investigate the criminal
accusations to promote
its policy with a "firm
hand".
This week, the UNE
(National Unity of Hope)
accused the Patriotic
Party of being behind
the murders of bus
drivers to promote its
"firm hand" policy.
So far this year, more
than 60 bus drivers and
their assistants have
been killed, as well as
some 30 activists or
members of different
political organizations,
including several
candidates for public
posts.
More than 5.8 million
Guatemalans have
registered to vote in
the Sept. 9 elections to
choose the president,
vice president,
deputies, mayors and
municipal authorities. |
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