Guatemala Parliament
Head Resigns
GUATEMALA - Eduardo
Meyer officially filed
his permanent
resignation on Wednesday
from the post of
president of the Board
of Directors of the
Guatemalan Congress,
from which he was
temporarily dismissed
due to a financial
scandal in the said
body.
In his resignation
letter, Meyer reiterates
he was not aware of the
deposit of 82 million
quetzals (about $11
million) irregularly
made to MDF (the Futures
Exchange).
Meyer held his former
private secretary Byron
Sanchez and Parliament
financial director Jose
Conde, both currently
wanted by justice,
responsible for the
transaction.
The head of the
Guatemalan Congress
distanced himself from
the operation. However,
he admitted that his
presence in the board of
directors might hinder
the inquiry into the
illegality committed, so
he decided to resign and
maintain his position of
deputy.
As of today, the new
president of the
legislative body is
Aristides Crespo, who
was provisionally
performing those duties.
After presenting his
resignation letter,
Meyer went to court,
where he was summoned to
expand on his
declaration about the
misappropriation of
funds and explain how
Sanchez managed to
escape hours before his
actions were known.
The scandal for the
diversion of funds
intensified last week
when MDF Director Raul
Giron declared himself
unable to raise that
amount of money and give
it back to the
Parliament coffers.
Giron had time to flee
before being accused of
fraud by the Attorney
General's Office, which
requested his capture
and ordered to freeze
his assets and bank
accounts.
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