Soldiers Patrol Guatemala
City
GUATEMALA - The presence of soldiers in the
streets to guarantee public security in the
face of a wave of violence is now a fact in
the capital.
About 500 army troops have begun patrols in
support of the National Civil Police (PNC)
as the result of an agreement between the
Ministry of Interior and the trade union
representing intercity bus operators.
The agreement came out of a dialogue between
the two sides to avoid a work stoppage
announced by the drivers after an increase
in armed attacks with a high death toll.
According to PNC spokesman Donald Gonzalez,
the soldiers will conduct joint patrols with
the police on the capital's main roads.
For his part, Byron Gutierrez, head of the
Army's Department of Information, said that
such support is generally provided for a
specific period, but in this case it is for
an indefinite period, Prensa Libre newspaper
reported.
Prensa Latina reporters found fully-equipped
soldiers on several main avenues, but in no
case they were accompanied by the police.
The newspaper quoted Sandino Asturias,
coordinator of the Centro de Estudios de
Guatemala, as saying that in practice,
members of the army have taken control of
police units.
According to Asturias, the decision is
unconstitutional and is not a solution to
the problem, Prensa Libre reported.
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