- Title: Guatemala troops face off with protesters over anti-graft body
- Date: 12th September 2018
- Summary: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (SEPTEMBER 12, 2018) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW, PLAZA WITH PROTESTERS PROTESTERS CARRYING BANNER READING (Spanish) "FOR WOMEN'S DIGNITY" LINE OF POLICE IN FRONT OF PROTESTERS VARIOUS, PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH SIGNS AND BANNERS PERSON CARRYING SIGN READING (Spanish) "WE ASK FOR THE RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT JIMMY" POLICE BLOCKING OFF STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LEADER OF GUATEMALAN ORGANIZATION CODECA (RURAL WORKERS DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE), NEFTALY LOPEZ, SAYING: "(We are here) to condemn the acts of impunity and corruption of this government, which we consider to be not only a lying, thieving government, it's a participant in a coup." LINE OF POLICE BARRICADING STREET POLICE IN RIOT GEAR AND MEMBER OF THE ARMY WITH WEAPON GUATEMALAN ARMY PERSONNEL GENERAL VIEW, POLICE BARRICADING STREET CARAVAN OF GUATEMALAN GOVERNMENT VEHICLES
- Embargoed: 27th September 2018 00:00
- Keywords: Guatemala CICIG International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala corruption protests President Jimmy Morales
- Location: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
- City: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
- Country: Guatemala
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0018XBPN43
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Guatemalan police and soldiers locked down the center of the capital on Wednesday (September 12) amid protests over the government's move to shutter a U.N.-backed anti-graft commission that has called for the president's impeachment.
More than 2,000 police and troops blocked off parts of the city center as farmers and students marched for a third day and demanded the resignation of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales.
Late last month, Morales said the country would not renew the mandate of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) that had brought down his predecessor and also tried to have Morales impeached. The United Nations has expressed serious concerns about the decision.
Working with Guatemala's attorney general, the CICIG in 2017 sought to prosecute Morales, a former comedian, over illegal financing allegations during his election campaign two years earlier.
The government has now given the commission a year to exit the country and last week officials barred the CICIG's head Ivan Velasquez from entering the country.
Demonstrators are also protesting two legislative initiatives that lawmakers who back Morales are aiming to pass in the coming days.
One bill would limit the ability of investigators to strip politicians of their immunity from prosecution and another would permit almost 80 congressmen who have defected from the opposition to join Morales' party.
In August, the nation's Supreme Court decided to consider a request to strip Morales of his immunity for his alleged participation in illegal electoral financing. The proceeding, supported by the CICIG, is the third against him.
Lawmakers propose to transfer the oversight of immunity proceedings to Congress from the Supreme Court and to limit such bids to only one request.
Morales' predecessor is in prison and standing trial for allegedly running a customs racket uncovered by the CICIG. Last year, the commission started investigating members of Morales' family for alleged corruption and supported impeaching him.
Morales denies any wrongdoing and says the CICIG has overstepped its remit.
Morales' credibility has suffered due to the CICIG's investigations, and he has aligned himself more closely with U.S. President Donald Trump by backing his decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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