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Medical Mission in Nicaragua
Guatemala Murder Scandal Deepens
Guatemala
Murder Scandal Deepens
Guatemala's Congress has received a
35,000-strong petition calling for President
Alvaro Colom to be stripped of his immunity
from prosecution.
The petition's organisers want Mr Colom to
be tried over allegations he ordered the
killing of a prominent lawyer.
The lawyer, who was shot dead on 10 May, had
recorded a video saying that if he was found
dead, the president and his advisers would
be responsible.
President Colom has denied any involvement
in the murder.
A UN-backed commission, set up to tackle
corruption in Guatemala, has been asked to
investigate the case. The FBI is also
offering assistance.
On Monday, a group of lawyers delivered the
35,000 signatures calling on Congress to
begin moves that could lead to the
president's impeachment.
"If we don't get a reply in eight days,
we'll continue with peaceful protests
through a national strike," said Luis Perez
Alvarez, one of the petition's organisers.
"We don't want to bring down the government,
nor are we conspiring against it. We just
want justice."
The continuing crisis is nevertheless
worrying outside observers. European Union
ambassadors met President Colom on Monday to
voice their concerns at growing violence in
the country and to call for an "independent
and impartial investigation" into the case.
'Clear conscience'
The Rio Group, which brings together Latin
American nations, also expressed its concern
at the current situation, while stressing
its support for "the democratic institutions
and the constitutional government" of
Guatemala.
The head of the Organisation of American
States (OAS), Jose Miguel Insulza, is due to
arrive in Guatemala on Thursday.
Analysts say the crisis could threaten
Guatemala's weak democracy. The country only
emerged from a long-running civil war a
decade ago and is plagued by high levels of
corruption and crime.
Mr Colom, elected in November 2007, is the
Central American country's first left of
centre leader for half a century.
In an interview with BBC Mundo last week, Mr
Colom stressed that he had no idea why the
lawyer, Rodrigo Rosenberg, would have
recorded such allegations.
He said that he had no intention of standing
down, not even temporarily while
investigations s are under way, saying his
was "completely clear".
In the video, Mr Rosenberg said he might be
targeted because he represented a prominent
businessman, Khalil Musa, who was killed in
March along with his daughter, Marjorie
Musa.
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