Soldiers patrolling the streets in Alta Verapaz north of Guatemala City Photo: AFP
The Telegraph
The government initiated the monthlong measure in the Alta Verapaz province to reclaim cities that have been taken over by the Zetas drug gang, Ronaldo Robles, a spokesman for Alvaro Colom, the Guatemalan president, said.
"It is to bring peace to the people and recover their confidence in the government," he said.
A state of siege allows the army to detain suspects without warrants, conduct warrantless searches, prohibit gun possession and public gatherings, and control the local news media.
Guatemalan law allows the measure amid acts of terrorism, sedition or "rebellion," or when events "put the constitutional order or security of the state in danger."
The state of siege was put in place for 30 days, but "will last as long as necessary," Colom told Emisoras Unidas.
He asked citizens to trust and cooperate with authorities.
The Zetas are a group of ex-soldiers who started as hit men for the Gulf drug cartel before breaking off on their own. Authorities believe they established a presence in Guatemala more than two years ago.
Robles said that numerous cities in the Alta Verapaz province have been overrun by drug traffickers and that the government decided it was time to take them back.
Anti-drug agents wearing ski masks to hide their identity patrolled the streets of the provincial capital, Coban, on Sunday.
Police officers and soldiers searched at least 16 homes and offices, as well as all vehicles entering and exiting the city, the government said on its website.
Gudy Rivera, a congressman from the opposition Patriotic Party, said the government's action came too late.
The state of siege also is meaningless "if we continue to have police corruption, a weak justice system and weak jails," added David Martinez Amador, an analyst and expert on criminal behavior.
Guatemalan news media have reported that the local population lives in fear of drug traffickers, who they say roam the streets in all-terrain vehicles and armed with assault weapons.
Some were forced to give up their property to the traffickers, according to the reports.
a whole month ..sort of a mixer for the army and zetas ...
ReplyDeleteone zeta to another ..
hey hombre i heard the army was coming...
yeah ...they are ....
so we better get all our recruiting materiel together ...
laughter in background as scene fades
Damn, I had no idea it was that bad. Hopefully they can restore some sort of order without oppression, before it becomes unmanageable. Or do I sound like a blind optimist?
ReplyDelete"A state of siege allows the army to detain suspects without warrants, conduct warrantless searches, prohibit gun possession and public gatherings, and control the local news media."
ReplyDeleteWOW, I had to read that twice! You mean to tell me that because of the Zetas all honest, law abiding citizens lose their rights? Holy cow, is that the way dictators take control?
@ 11:23 pm
ReplyDeleteJust exactly what do you suggest Guatemalan authorities do? Not US - Guatemala. In the face of ruthless assassins. Specifically, what do you suggest? Hold a fucking election? Organize neighborhood watch groups? Invite citizens to focus groups? It's not happening in Iowa.
Finally!! In my own little way I have shouting...Guatemala!!!! Look at Guatemala!!! and Costa Rica, El Salvador Honduras!!! THAT is where all shit is moving to. New routes, etc. What got my interest was seeing violence erupting in places like Oaxaca, some struggle of power in a relatively calm place.
ReplyDeleteIt is all about CA and has been for 2 years. I have tons of goverment reports that indicate Guatemala is on the path to becomming the first NARCO STATE, that's why NAVY SEALS were ripped from Afghanistan in Sept & sent to Nicarugua.
As for striping of the rights, they have no rights in effect and so unstable.
While most Americans concentrate on our mx/us border and undocumented workes, the perfect storm in the perfect hell is being created.
Wake up yáll
Finally! Light is being shedded on the greatest danger with respect to DTOs there is.
ReplyDeleteI have been doing my thing posting about CA for months, it is not the us/mx border that is the greatest danger it is CA...namely; guatemala, costa rica, el salvador, honduras.
The difference in Guatemala is it is the easiest to destablized and take over with a shared border with MX. Then to the right/left new pacific-atlantic-gulf routes have already been established.
I cannot express to you how great an issue this is imagine the first narco state, guatemala city will be ran by Zetas.
they have been there for 2 yrs...we may be too late...
they have been there for 2 yrs...it
THIS IS THE ISSUE...CA...I have so much documentation, plus a good friend ...shall we say there running the training. He told me about the "weapons" the Guatemalans have...
MACHETES to fight the Zs
Carlos Castresana Chief of United Nations CICIE
ReplyDeletefor Guatemala says:
If Guatemala does not win the battle against the Zetas....in 2 yeras or less Guatemala City will be ran by this DTOs....the first narco state!
I know I posted it yesterday and many links including this story above...but CA has been so overlooked by just about every media source and blogs...so yesterday I siezed the moment..sorry if I have repeated stuff...but this issue and the issue of education in Mx are the most important in my heart...
"A state of siege allows the army to detain suspects without warrants, conduct warrantless searches, prohibit gun possession and public gatherings, and control the local news media.""
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the definition AGAIN, I am left wondering: Isn't that what mexico is in..a State of Siege?
or does it have to be announced officially first?
lito brito....a military/zetas mixer? Too funny!!! It brought to mind the 2 sides at a bar dancing with pretty girls and a bowl of punch on the side
ReplyDeleteBuela...the reason you have not seen any of the Central American stuff on the news is that most Americans don't give a rat's ass about anything outside their borders.
I lived in Canada for years and now that I live in AZ, I NEVER see any news about Canada or political news about Mexico or any other country unless it is catastrophic. Americans live by the 30 second sound bite and lose interest in anything more than that.
Central America is scarier than anything that happens in the US because the laws and enforcement are laughable. It is a natural place for the cartels to take over. They have billions of dollars and tossing a few around in a 3rd world country will buy them even more power. And they are doing their best to turn Mexico into a 3rd world country because the instability brings them strength.
Buela, what new routes can be gained from Central America? I'm not implying you are wrong, I just don't see it.
ReplyDelete@ J
ReplyDeleteNew routes being compartive to Mx/US border,, no necessarily new-new but resigned for greater flow of DTO traffic. Maybe that is a better word. In the DOJ 2010 and GLOBAL DRUG REPORT and org crime reports (2010) they elude to some alternative routes..if you lay out a map, Guatemala being point of origin...you can see clearly where the routes must go...I see Baja being used by land and land/water. Gulf, water ways, atlantic water ways, and pacific. canada and north west water ways...including pugent sound. Sinaloa has a huge presence in Wa and pugent sound area, and no cal in the federal forests.
Look at the indian reservations that straddle land and water, there are some with good positioning. These routes have already been established, canada has begun finding tunnels 3-4 years ago, atlantic coast has a solid presence of LFM. What surprised me was the indian reservations, I think that was from the DOJ 2010 and ICE 2010 drug analysis report.
Indian land is perfect for the cartels. Autonomous, and by esimates are somewhere around 4-8& of the cartel business now is staged and moved thru the reservations. DOJ says a good working relationship has already begun with various tribes and Mx cartels.
J...if you really want to get into it, it is so interesting and telling...but the reports are thick as a bible and take time, I have a decade worth!
GUATEMALA DECLARES MX CARTEL TERRORIST...WHY DON'T WE?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/capitol/guatemala_declares_mexican_cartels_G5OsBvsPJGa3cNj1trvUjL
@December 20, 2010 5:33 PM
ReplyDeleteHmmmm just maybe they are not a threat like they are in those countries maybe that's why?????
ZETAS ISSUE A THREAT TO KILL CIVILANS IF GUATEMALA CITY DOES NOT LIFT STATE OF SIEGE...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.stratfor.com/sitrep/20101228-guatemala-los-zetas-threaten-attack-civilians
@ B
ReplyDeleteand still the Z spreads and is not directly targeted by the gob de Mexico
oh how i would like to be in a SEAL team and get to play with some of these putas..
welcome to the real world pinche madres...can i say waterboard...no pendejo you are not gonna die..at least not right away...but you are gonna talk..
it is up to you ..before being trimmed..or after