RunningWithBulls.com - The curse of Sanfermin

Guatemala | Impunity rules | Economist.com

A very sad story from The Economist about the increasing number of women being killed in Guatemala, and the overstretching (maybe breaking point) of the government police officials, and the lack of leadership of the conservative democrat, Óscar Berger, who in 2003 was elected President

According to Sobrevivientes, a women’s rights organisation, only five of 1,897 murders of women between 2001 and 2005 have been resolved in the courts.

The police comprise just 20,000 officers for a country of 13m people; only 3,000 are on duty at any one time.

Ten years after the signing of the peace accords that ended the war, many people say that the country does not feel much more secure. In a year’s time, Guatemala will hold a general election. The country urgently needs new political leadership and a change of direction.

By contrast, unregulated private security firms employ perhaps 100,000 people.

Its a pity because it is a beautiful country with a rich historical past.

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