CITIZEN IN PKTEN DEPARTMENT IN JUNE
SERIOUS RAMIFICATIONS FOR THE GUATEMALAN ARMY. AS IT IS DAMAGING ITS RELATIONSHIP KITH THS GUATEMALAN GOVERNMENT. THE CASE HAS TURNEDIGHTNING ROD FOR CRITICISM WITHIN THS ARMY OF THE ARMY COMMAND AND IS INCREASING. SENTIMENT AMONG SOME ARMY OFFICERS.
RESULTHAIN CF CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING ACTIVITIES OF THE VICTIM THAT IN SOME KAY ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF THE MILITARY. WHEN ORDERED TOOUTINE INVESTIGATION INTO. CITIZEN'S ACTIVITIES. THE ENLISTED PERSONNEL CHARGED WITH CARRYING IT OUT DID SO ARELESS MANNER. THEY MISUNDERSTOOD THE SITUATION AND APPROACHED THEIR MISSIONOSTILE ATTITUDE THAT HAS INAPPROPRIATE. THE OFFICER NOTED THE MILITARY WAS AWARE THE VICTIM OCCASIONALLY SMOKED MARIJUANA ANDOHEMIAN LIFESTYLE. BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE HE WAS INVOLVED IN ANY SERIOUS ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. ACCORDING TO THE OFFICER. THE ARMY COMMAND SAW THE KILLING AS AN EMBARRASSING TRAGEDY THAT THE ARMY ULTIMATELY HAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BECAUSE ARMY OFFICERS INVOLVED KNEW THE VICTIMAW-ABIDING RESIDENT OF GUATEMALA.
J. WHEN WORD OF THE MURDER REACHED MILITARY HEADQUARTERS, THEREEBATE ABOUT THE COURSE OP ACTION TO BE TAKEN. SOME OFFICERS URGED THE ARMY COMMAND TO ADMIT THAT IN THE COURSE OF AN
ROUP OF ENLISTED MEN HAD OVERSTEPPED THEIR ORDERS, AN ALTERCATION HAD OCCURRED, AND ONE OF THE SOLDIERS HAD KILLED. CITIZEN. THIS EXPLANATION WOULD HAVE BEEN FOLLOWEDOURT-MARTIAL OF THE GUILTY PARTIES. THIS SUGGESTION WAS OVERRULED BY SENIOR OFFICERS WHO BELIEVED IT WOULD BE BETTER TO COVER UP ARMY
INVOLVEMENT IN THE KILLING AND 'STONEWALL* ANY ATTEMPTS TO
investigate ir 4lhmmbhtk$flb13imk. the military LEADERSHIP
REASONED THAT. GOVERNMENT WOULD REACT ANGRILY TO THE UNPROVOKED KILLING OF ONE OF ITS CITIZENS BY GUATEMALAN SOLDIERS. AND THIS WOULD HURT THE ARMY'S IMAGE, PROVIDE PROPAGANDA TO THE INSURGENTS. AND. MILITARY AID. THE OFPICER COMMENTED THAT ALL OF THE PREDICTED EVENTS USED TO JUSTIFY THE COVKRUP HAVE NOW OCCURRED BECAUSE OF IT.
Of THE SOLDIERS NOW BEING HELD FOR THE ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN THE KILLING ONLY TWO WERE MOST LIKELY
T.KC
CULPABLE. REGARDING ACCUSATIONS MADE AGAINST SECOND IN COMMAND OF MILITARY ZONEOLONEL GUILLERMO ORTILLO)) GOMEZ, THE OFFICER SAID HE BELIEVED PORTILLO IS INNOCENT AND KNEW NOTHING OP THE CASE UNTIL AFTER THE SLAYING. THE ENLISTED MAN WHO ACCUSED PORTILLO LATER ADMITTED HE DID SO BECAUSE PORTILLOTRICT DISCIPLINARIAN WHO HAD ORDERED HIM PUNISHED IN THE PAST.
5. ALTHOUGH MOST ARMY OFFICERS ACKNOWLEDGE THE MILITARY MUST BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MURDER, EVEN IF UNINTENTIONAL, THERE ENERAL REJECTION BY THE OFFICERS OF WHAT THEY REGARD AS NEGATIVE TACTICS ALLEGEDLY USED BY. GOVERNNENT TO SECURE TESTIMONY IN
case . THE army command and
ARMY OFFICERS IN GENERAL ARE OUTRAGED AT WHAT THEY PERCEIVE AS AN ATTEMPT BY. TO BUY PERJURED TESTIMONY PROM THE PERSONS SUSPECTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CASS. IMPRISONED SOLDIERS CLAIM. HAS OFFERED THEM RESIDENCY OR ASYLUM IN. IN RETURN FOR
PERJURED TESTIMONY. THIS HAS ANGERED ARMY OFFICERS AS THEY BELIEVE ALMOST ANY LOWER CLAS^JjJATEMALAfJWOULD FALSELY TESTIFY TO GAIN. RESIDENCE. tflbfisqmb TACTICS ARE VIEWED AS EVIDENCE THE. GOVERNMENT IS NOT INTERESTED IK THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CASE; RATHER, . GOVERNMENT AND OTHERS SIMPLY WANT TO USE THE CASE AS PROPAGANDA AGAINST GUATEMALA, AND THE ARMY IN PARTICULAR.
(DAO COMMENT: THESE ALLEGATIONS RAISE THE SPECTER THAT THE ARMY IS
ENGAGEDISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN FOR ITS OWN INTERNAL
CONSUMPTION.)
. CASE CONTINUES TO
UATEMALAN OFFICER CORPS ALREADY SUSPICIOUS. GOVERNMENT MOTIVES AND PLANS. fllhlvhhbhhbhlf*THE INEPTNESS AND STUPIDITY OF THE ARMY COMMAND CAUSED THE CASE TO BALLOONRAGIC ISOLATED INCIDENTITUATIONGUATEMALAN RELATIONS ON ALL LEVELS. THE CASE AND EVENTS SURROUNDING IT ARB BEHIND THE MILITARY COMMAND'S GROWING COLDNESS TOWARD. THE ARMY COMMAND PAINTED ITSELFORNER BY NOT IMMEDIATELY ADMITTING WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND TAKING ACTION TO PUNISH THE GUILTY. tflminnbillllllttfvsv rHE SITUATION HAS NOW BECOME SO TENSE AND CHARGED WITH NATIONALISM THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY HONORABLE WAY FOR THE ARMY TO BACK AWAY FROM ITS ACTIONS WITHOUT SUFFERING AN ENORMOUS LOSS OF PRESTIGERITICAL TIME IN GUATEMALA'S HISTORY. HE ADDED THAT THERE IS NO INDICATION THE ARMY COMMAND HAS THE SLIGHTEST IDEA OF HOW TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. EVEN IF THE WILL TO RESOLVE IT EXISTS.
Original document.
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