/* Written 11:48 PM Mar 3, 1992 by cerisea in igc:reg.guatemala */ /* ---------- "Cerigua Weekly Briefs" ---------- */ WEEKLY BRIEFS, FEBRUARY 23 - 29, 1992 Mexican President Visits Guatemala Mexican President Carlos Salinas visited Guatemala February 24 and 25. Salinas said free trade and respect for sovereignty are more necessary now than ever. He identified peace and development as major priorities, and said the resolution of conflicts is fundamental. On the second day of his visit Salinas and Serrano signed an economic agreement which includes a $30 million dollar fund to promote trade between the two countries. Bombs Explode in Guatemala City During Visit Although great fanfare was made over Salinas' visit, it was impossible to hide Guatemala's daily violence and the extent of militarization there. A bomb exploded just meters from Congress, near a University of San Carlos building where Salinas was about to speak. Five other explosives were found in the same area, and a powerful bomb was de-activated at the office of the president of the University of San Carlos. Guatemalan Defense Minister Jose Garcia Samayoa immediately blamed guerrilla forces for the bombs, but a report in the Mexican daily Uno Mas Uno says few believe the charge. Uno Mas Uno journalist Jorge Fernandez, who covered the visit, noted the military tone of the welcoming festivities. He said the militarization of the country was palpable in the streets. Military security was "excessive," he said, and military hymns and marches were played "incessantly." What Brought Salinas to Guatemala? In diplomatic circles, Salinas' visit is interpreted as an effort to support the Serrano government at a time when it is isolated and pressured both inside the country and internationally, according to the agency Notimex. Notimex added that the Guatemalan government's diplomatic efforts are currently aimed at Costa Rica, Spain and Mexico. The government is asking Costa Rica to stop pressing for demilitarization in Guatemala. It is asking Spain to assist in improving relations with European Community members who condemn human rights violations in Guatemala and threaten to cut economic aid. Finally, the government believes help from Mexico could be a key to consolidating democracy and achieving peace. No UN Resolution Until Next Week The UN Human Rights Commission will vote on a resolution on human rights in Guatemala early next week, according to Marta Gloria Torres, of the United Representation of the Guatemalan Opposition (RUOG). Last week the Serrano government jumpedthe gun, announcing that a resolution in favor of the Guatemalan government had already been passed. Serrano said he was satisfied because the UN Commission recognizes the efforts made by his government to maintain respect for human rights. The Rio Group, made up of eight Latin American countries, has proposed a resolution calling on the Guatemalan government to ensure that authorities and security forces respect human rights, to facilitate activities of human rights groups, and to protect judges and key persons involved in investigations. The Rio Group also urges the government to abolish civil defense patrols and the Citizen Protection System (SIPROCI), both under army control. UN Human Rights Expert Gives Report UN expert Christian Tomuschat testified before the UN Commission on February 25. He said life and physical integrity are not guaranteed or protected in Guatemala. In his report before the 48th Assembly of the UN Human Rights Commission, Tomuschat said the biggest problem is that no one is prosecuted for human rights crimes. He said the Dinora Perez murder has not been investigated, and the case against a Presidential Military Guard member for the Myrna Mack murder is plagued by delays. In his report he included statistics from the Archbishop's Human Rights Office which documented 537 extrajudicial murders during 1991. The Serrano government sharply criticized these statistics when they were first released in December, saying they were unreliable and unsubstantiated. Advisor, Rapporteur: What's the Difference? Political analyst Mario Sandoval minimized the difference between a UN- appointed advisor and special rapporteur. The Guatemalan government is pushing for maintaining advisory services only, while human rights groups say a special rapporteur should be appointed to closely monitor abuses. In his Prensa Libre column of February 27, Sandoval said that while the appointment of a special rapporteur would send a slightly stronger message, naming an advisor is "no prize either." He said criticism of the human rights situation in Guatemala is coming primarily from the US and the European Community. If Guatemala is not condemned, he added, it will be due to the support from Latin American and non-aligned countries. Latin America and Africa traditionally each vote as a block; some governments have a clear interest in avoiding condemnation of the situation in their own countries. Last Round of Talks Ends Without Agreements A round of closed meetings between the Guatemalan government and Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) on February 20-22 ended without agreements. Negotiators said advances were made, and discussion included the civil patrols and treatment of civilianpopulation during wartime. A joint statement released at the end of the meeting indicates delegations also discussed the possible participation of sectors of Guatemalan society in the peace process. Two Soldiers Receive 30-year Sentence A military court sentenced two soldiers to 30 years in prison for the murder of four people in Ciudad Peronia outside Guatemala City. Despite witness reports of as many as six soldiers participating in the January 17 murders, a court official said no one else was involved. A prosecutor from the attorney general's office said the sentence is inadequate and the death penalty should be applied. Victim's Father Accuses Army Agents A mayor from the province of San Marcos said a military commissioner* and an army intelligence officer killed his 22- year-old son. Mayor Macedonio Perez Gonzalez of Tejutla, San Marcos gave the names of the two men who shot his son to the chief of the Supreme Court. He said he was receiving death threats and asked for protection, according to a February 27 report in El Grafico. *A military commissioner is a civilian agent who works for the army in intelligence and recruitment. Corruption Provokes Strikes and Firings Vice President Gustavo Espina announced February 27 the end of a ten- day strike by customs workers. The strike, in protest of corruption and abuse by department officials, was halted by an agreement to negotiate. Espina said two high- level commissions will investigate the denunciations made by the customs workers' union. The vice-president said he will personally head one of the commissions and the attorney general's and government comptroller's offices will form the other. In another complaint of corruption by government officials, the telegraph workers' union threatened to go on strike if the assistant director of the postal service was not fired. A Guatemala Flash newscast on February 24 said the union gave authorities 24 hours to comply. Finally, the Interior Minister fired four officials on February 27 for involvement in fraudulent purchasing. Interior Minister Fernando Hurtado said the officials were using exorbitant for weapons, radios and patrol cars for the National Police. Fernando said the 18 million quetzales ($3.6 million) in emergency bonds destined for the purchases were recovered. Rebel Leadership Interviewed by Businessmen URNG Commander Gaspar Ilom appeared on Guatemalan television and said that guerrilla forces are absolutely not involved in drug trafficking. Commander Ilom and Carlos Gonzalez, also of the URNG command, appeared on the program Libre Encuentro on February 23. The president and vice-president of the Chamber of Free Enterprise, which sponsors the program, interviewed the rebel leaders in Mexico. Ilom said the URNG relies on its own financial resources. In response to charges ofreceiving money from Cuba and the Soviet Union, he said the fact that URNG forces continue to operate proves they are not dependent on funding from socialist countries. Finally, Commander Ilom said that setting a date for signing a peace accord at this time would serve only to create false hopes. UNICEF Reports Extreme Inequalities According to UNICEF, 2.2% of landowners in Guatemala own 65% of arable land and 10% of the population earns 44% of the income. Because of the disproportionate distribution of land and income, 86% of families live below the poverty line, more than 6 million Guatemalans do not have access to health services, and 3.6 million are without potable water. The UNICEF statistics appeared in El Grafico February 28. Maquila Workers Still Not Reinstated Workers fired from the maquila Confecciones Unidas aftertrying to organize a union protested in front of the Court of Constitutionality in Guatemala City, Prensa Libre reported February 27. One of the workers, Leticia Fernandez, said the action was taken to pressure the court to rule in favor of the 74 workers (69 women, 5 men) fired in November 1991. After a labor court ordered the reinstatement of the workers in late December, the maquila owners filed an appeal. Fernandez said the court is violating their right to a timely ruling in the case. During his recent visit to Guatemala, UN human rights expert Christian Tomuschat commented that the Guatemalan courts ignore complaints from maquila workers. He said, however, the maquila factories do not respect even minimal labor regulations. Congressman Francisco Alfaro said in a Patrullaje Informativo newscast February 29 that the government is responsible for the exploitation of maquila workers because it does not require foreign owners to comply with labor laws. Guatemalan Writer Honored Guatemalan writer Luis Cardoza y Aragon received the 1992 Mazatlan Literature award in Mexico February 28. He received the award for his latest book "Miguel Angel Asturias, Casi Novela" (Miguel Angel Asturias, Almost a Novel). The book, described as exemplary, recounts the friendship between Cardoza y Aragon and Asturias during the 1920s and 1930s in Paris. Miguel Angel Asturias received the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature in 1967 and is best known for his book "Hombres de Maiz" (Men of Corn). Cardoza y Aragon, born in Guatemala in 1904, now resides in Mexico. He said that the Mazatlan award, together with the honorary degree he received last week from the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, are the highest honors he has received. ***************** In the U.S. and Canada subscribe to Weekly Briefs by sending check or money order to: ANI PO Box 28481 Seattle, WA 98118 Subscription fees in the U.S. and Canada: $18 for 6 months, $36 for one year. Elsewhere, contact: CERIGUA Apartado Postal 74206 CP 09080 Delegacion Itzapalapa Mexico, D.F.Telephone: 5102320 - FAX 5109061 - Telex (17) 64525 Also please send us your comments and suggestions to the Seattle address or by email to cerisea on PeaceNet.