Laura Chinchilla Miranda of Costa Rica meets Otto Pérez
Molina.
|
Costa Rica Casa Presidencial photo
|
New
Guatemalan president
seeks U.S. help with drugs
By Shahrazad Encinias Vela
editor of A.M. Guatemala
with wire service reports
(Jan. 15, 2012) The new Guatemalan president asked the United States to
help him and the country fight against drug trafficking on Saturday. He
was sworn into office that day.
During his inaugural speech as president, Otto Pérez Molina, 61,
vowed to reduce violence and malnutrition in the country within his
first six months as president. In 2011, Guatemala had a rate of 75
homicides per 100,000 habitants according to a study done by the
Mexican Consejo Ciudadano para la Seguridad Pública y la
Justicia Penal A.C., 2012.
His platform was based on safety for the people of the country. He won
the November presidential election with 55 percent of the votes.
The retired military general also asked for national reconciliation of
the country, where he wants all to be one and fight as one against
organized crime in Guatemala.
Both Mexican President Felipe Calderón, and Colombian President
Juan Manuel Santos have promised to help Pérez fight drug
trafficking. They were also at the swearing in. Other presidents who
attended were Mauricio Funes, El Salvador, Porfirio Lobo of Honduras,
Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, and Costa Rica's Laura Chinchilla Miranda.
Pérez, during the armed conflict from 1960-1996, was a military
boss for the El Quiché department, where there were violations
against human rights. He was known for his strong hand against those he
deemed enemies of the state.
Drug cartels from neighboring Mexico have occupied large sections of
Guatemala, bringing with them a surge of violence that has pushed the
country's murder rate to one of the highest in the world.
Pérez told the crowd Saturday change has begun and said that he
and his administration "are committed to peace and integral
security." He succeeds Alvaro Colom and inherits a government
in tough financial straits.
Pérez is the first military officer to lead the Central American
country since the military turned the government over to civilians 25
years ago.
Pérez was reminded of the challenges ahead when a prospective
member of his administration, a congressman, Valentin Leal Caal, was
gunned down outside the campaign headquarters of the ruling party
Friday. Police have not announced an arrest in the murder.
Ms. Chinchilla met with Pérez for about 20 minutes before the
inauguration Saturday. With here was her foreign minister,
Enrique Castillo, and Mario Zamora., the security minister.
Casa Presidencial said they discussed climate change, criminality and
the exchange of information on criminals and gangs operating n Central
America.
|
