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This Tuesday, hundreds of Guatemalan military veterans seized the facilities of the Guatemalan Congress in a violent episode. The ex-combatants demanded financial compensation for serving in the internal war between 1960 and 1996, which left more than 250,000 dead and missing. However, reports from international organizations assure that more than 90 percent of these deaths and disappearances are the responsibility of the Guatemalan Army.
This Tuesday, hundreds of Guatemalan military veterans took over the facilities of the Guatemalan Congress, located in the center of the capital. This, in order to pressure the approval of a bill that compensates them financially for their participation in the internal armed conflict between 1960 and 1996.
In order to enter the Legislative Organism, the ex-military members broke glass in the building’s doors and caused damage to the gate of the parking lot of the facilities.
In an interview for France 24, Emiliano Castro, a witness and journalist for the EFE agency in Guatemala, spoke about it. “It is the third day followed by demonstrations by the retired military who ask for this compensation. On this occasion, unlike the previous ones, they used sticks and machetes in a more violent day. The protesters burned five cars, injured several people, including three journalists. Basically, they entered to destroy and burn offices ”. Lastly, smoke was reported inside the facilities.
Legislative workers were trapped inside the building. Among them, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Alberto Pimentel. However, they all managed to leave the scene.
Even so, Castro assured that “the panorama is not conclusive, although at this moment it would be controlled by the forces of order,” adding that “there are two detainees.”
Karina Paz, a witness and deputy for the National Unit of Hope in Guatemala, said in an interview for France 24 that “at 2 in the afternoon, there were already 800 ex-military men taking over Congress. Inside the hemicycle they told us that the Congress had been taken over by the ex-military. We took shelter for an hour and a half inside the Congress ”. Other employees climbed onto the roof to escape the group that entered the force.
Meanwhile, Paz urged “the members of the Board of Directors and the President of the Republic to speak with this group of ex-military men.”
Agents of the National Civil Police (PNC) remain in Congress, although some officers were forced to withdraw after ex-military officers ran after them.
Former combatants from the internal armed conflict have demonstrated for the past two weeks, blocking roads. However, these protests have been going on for several months, in which they have also held rallies in front of the Legislative. The ex-military are demanding their remuneration, as they assure that it was a promise of Alejandro Giammattei, current president of this country, during his electoral campaign.
Do youWhat does the initiative of law 5664 imply?
Measure 5664 was requested by veterans of the war. However, it was presented by Felipe Alejos Lorenzana and Ana Victoria Hernández Pérez, the deputies of the TODOS bench.
The bill establishes a payment of 120,000 quetzals (approximately $ 15,500) for each of the ex-military personnel (around 900,000) who served during the armed conflict in Guatemala between 1960 and 1996. If the ex-combatant has already died, the payment should be handed over to their relatives. It would be divided into four annual installments. But this bill is still under analysis by the Defense, Finance and Human Rights commissions of Congress.
The internal war that undermined Guatemala ended on December 29, 1996 with the signing of the Peace Accords between the Government and the Guerrilla made up of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit (URNG). It left more than 250,000 dead and missing in the 36 years of confrontation. Reports from international organizations assure that more than 90 percent of these deaths and disappearances are the responsibility of the Guatemalan Army.
With EFE and local media
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