Guatemalans march against President Morales amidst corruption allegations

Record ID: 1357215

  • Title: Guatemalans march against President Morales amidst corruption allegations
  • Date: 20th September 2018
  • Summary: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (SEPTEMBER 20, 2018) (REUTERS) INDIGENOUS WOMEN MARCHING AGAINST PRESIDENT JIMMY MORALES WOMEN ON FOOTPATH CHEERING ON PROTESTERS PROTESTERS MARCHING PROTESTERS MAKING NOISE WITH MAKESHIFT INSTRUMENTS PROTESTERS MARCHING SIGN AT PROTEST THAT READS, "THE COUP ALREADY TOOK PLACE" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, ELI SAGASTUME, SAYING: "We are demand
  • Embargoed: 4th October 2018 23:58
  • Keywords: Guatemala President Jimmy Morales Guatemala City protesters CICIG corruption march
  • Location: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
  • City: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
  • Country: Guatemala
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0018YFNAKJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Thousands marched on Guatemala City on Thursday (September 20) against President Jimmy Morales, criticizing moves from his government to bar the head of a U.N. anti-corruption body from entering the country after investigations that implicated the president's family.
    President Jimmy Morales had ordered Ivan Velasquez, head of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), to be denied entry and asked the United Nations to send a replacement. Morales has said the commission's mandate would end next September, attacking the body which brought down his predecessor as president with a corruption probe.
    In a separate graft case, the CICIG and Guatemala's attorney general last year attempted to prosecute Morales on suspicion he had engaged in illegal financing during his 2015 presidential election campaign. He denied any wrongdoing.
    Citizens have since derided the Morales for turning back on his vows to stamp out corruption in Guatemala and called for his resignation.
    Morales' credibility has suffered due to the CICIG's investigations, and he has moved to align himself more closely with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
    In December, Guatemala was one of a handful of countries to back Trump's decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in a vote at the United Nations.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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