Government Corruption: 2009

 

September 25, 2009: Arrests may confirm police-criminal links. The arrests of several current or former police officers in the death of a prominent lawyer proves that many police are in bed with organized crime, analysts said. Six of the 10 suspects were current or former police officers, including the alleged ringleader, William Gilberto Santos Divas, a former official in the National Civil Police known as "El Comisario.'' Another, Edwin Idelmo Lopez, was a military specialist until 2005, according to authorities. [Miami Herald] Read more on the Rosenberg case.

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August 8, 2009: Former PNC Directors banned from leaving the country. The Guatemalan Criminal Court banned five former chiefs of the PNC who are under investigation from leaving the country. The first legal action was issued against Porfirio Pérez Paniagua, former director of PNC, Rolando Pérez Mendoza, who served as deputy director, Víctor de Jesús López, a former deputy director of operations, and Hector Castellanos, a former deputy director of investigations. Another person who was banned from leaving the country is Orlando Villatoro Alvarado, former chief of operations in the Special Criminal Investigation Division (DEIC). [Prensa Libre]

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August 7, 2009: National Civil Police dismisses leadership. Porfirio Pérez Paniagua, Director of the PNC, Rolando Pérez Mendoza, deputy director, Victor de Jesus Lopez, deputy director of operations, and Hector Castellanos, assistant director of research, were dismissed last Thursday (August 7). The Public Ministry (MP) immediately launched an investigation against them for their alleged responsibility in the theft of at least 119 kilos of cocaine. Besides these removals, there were 23 policemen in the place where the cargo was discovered, so as they are also now under investigation. The new Director of the PNC was named Baltazar Gomez Barrios, former head of la División de Análisis e Información Antinarcótica (DAIA). The officer has 23 years of working in the institution, and becomes the fourth person to lead the PNC during the current government. The new deputy director, Werner Geovanny Leal Yaxcal, comes with 19 years of police experience. The new deputy director of operations is Otzín Leonel Jaime Diaz, who has 17 years of working in the police; and the deputy director of research was named Benigno Ottoniel Barraza Martinez.[Prensa Libre]

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July 9, 2009: Salvador Gándara will leave Ministry of the Interior. The departure of Salvador Gándara from the Ministry of the Interior will take place July 15, according to official sources.  Yesterday morning, President Alvaro Colom said Gándara was being "evaluated," but unnamed party officials have said that Gándara has submitted his resignation and President Colom has accepted it.  There are rumors that Raúl Velásquez, former Deputy Minister of Community Support, would replace Gándara.  Gándara entered the position with the support of First Lady Sandra Torres de Colom, with whom he had previously worked.  However, a lack of improvement in security has led to the fourth change in the position since Colom took office. [Prensa Libre]

 

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