Guatemala. It will get worse before it gets better. At this moment in history, Guatemala is like a pressure cooker about to explode. Too many lids are being lifted from too many pots of the past and present cases of impunity, crime, corruption and killings, at the same time.
Too many things have been happening in a relatively short time period, from 2008 to date, concerning the discovery, documentation, investigation and prosecution of corruption in all sectors of society, flagrant abuse of power of local authorities, corrupt ex- government officials, corruption of members or ex-members of the current government, the congress, money laundering, captures of tax evaders, shadowy thefts of armament in the military of Guatemala, police authorities involved in drug activities, the list goes on and on.
The sectors who are fighting to eliminate impunity in Guatemala can measure their success by the massive counteroffensive of the perpetrators and guardians of impunity in Guatemala.
Death threats and intimidations for judges, magistrates, prosecutors, members of the press, prominent human rights activists, the pro-justice sector of Guatemala, a campaign to discredit and question the work of CICIG., increased extra judicial killings and torture of activist in the rural areas of Guatemala, killings of police officers, killings of tax evasion investigating officers, etc., are a show of force of the dark side that is escalating every day.
It is the logical reaction of the dark powers (old and new) that are holding Guatemala hostage. The successful investigations from multiple sectors addressing the causes and the protagonists of impunity in Guatemala are getting to close for their comfort. The dark powers feel seriously threatened for the first time in Guatemalan history and their reaction is swift and brutal.
This is a stand of between the bad guys and the good guys. When will we have the standoff at Guatemala's OK Corral and who will win, that is the question.
Illustration: © by James G. Howes, 2008.
