Permanent
Representatives to the United Nations at New York
UN General
Assembly
New York, NY
10017
Distinguished Ambassadors:
We, members of the Guatemala Peace and Development Network
(RPDG/GPDN), address ourselves to you in order to present crucial information
regarding the profound political crisis today in Guatemala. Please read the
attached documents.
In mid-April, the UN-sponsored International Commission
against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) uncovered a network that was defrauding
hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes, run by the personal secretary of
Vice-President Roxana Baldetti. That was the tip of the iceberg, given the fact
that a few weeks later the former personal secretary of President Otto Pérez
was accused of running illicit operations to rob hundreds of millions of
dollars from the Guatemalan Institute for Social Security (IGSS) and the
Guatemalan Central Bank. Since then, many more acts of corruption have been
exposed, leading the U.S. State Department to identify as the main violation of
human rights today in Guatemala “widespread corruption.” The political system
is nearing collapse.
On April 23rd, tens of thousands of Guatemalan
citizens occupied the central plaza in front of the National Palace to demand
the resignation of both President Otto Pérez and Vice-President Roxana Baldetti. Ms. Baldetti resigned on May 8th,
followed by the resignation of six Ministers and many more high-ranking officials,
some of whom are now in jail. For eleven consecutive Saturdays, since April 23rd,
as well as on some other days, like May 1st, multitudes of citizens
have crowded the central plaza or marched, and large groups have demonstrated
in many parts of the country and in important cities in many parts of the
world. This popular movement is supported by more than 85 per cent of the
population. It is calling for an end to corruption and the wall of impunity;
the postponement of elections scheduled for September (in order to transform first
the electoral law and democratize the political system); and the resignation of
President Pérez Molina. Unfortunately, the U.S. Government continues to support
President Pérez in his position, extending and deepening the crisis.
We, the Guatemalan people, ask the international community
to take into account:
a)
Our movement is not a coup d’état, as Otto Pérez
has attempted to argue. There is no movement by the Guatemalan army. Ours is a
peaceful citizens’ movement to replace a corrupt government and reform an
illegitimate system. President Pérez deserves no support from the international
community.
b)
Our movement respects the Constitution, although
it is convinced that a new Constitution must be drafted soon, and it also supports
democratic institutions. However, we cannot accept an electoral process that
leads to the perpetual continuation of corruption and impunity. Under the
present circumstances we do not want elections to take place, until the
electoral system has been reformed. We need to redesign the electoral law and
democratize our political system. We want real democracy and not “de facto”
rulers.
At this stage, we do not ask the international community to
take any action, except to keep a close eye on developments in Guatemala. But
we want all Member States of the United Nations to acknowledge our movement and
its demands, and withhold support for the Guatemalan government. When “people
power” triumphs, as it did in the cases of Philippines and Egypt some time ago,
we may request your support and aid.
Sincerely,
Executive Committee, Guatemala Peace and Development Network
(RPDG/GPDN)
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