POLITICAL CAUSE CELEBRE, RESULTING IN INTENSE PRESSURE ON THE NATIONAL POLICE TO SOLVE IT. THIS PRESS LIRE, RATHER THAN ANY HARD EVIDENCE, IS BEHIND THE NAMING OF BETETAUSPECT. (FIELD COMMENT: THE ORDER OF THE ARREST OF BETETA HAS HEADLINED IN THE PRESS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY.)
EMBER OF THE GUATEMALAN ARMY OH ACTIVETHE SECURITY DEPARTMENT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL STAFF
tDSEMP) ONHEN MACK WAS MURDERED. BEFORE SERVING WITH THE DSEMP, HEEMBER OF THE NATIONAL POLICE, WORKING IH THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION (DIC). AT THE TIME OF THE MURDER, BETETA WAS ON MEDICAL LEAVE FROM THE DSEHP BECAUSEERIOUS INJURY TO HIS RIGHT HAND. HE WAS TREATED FOR THE INJURY FROM0 ONWARD UNTIL HIS DISCHARGE FROM THE ARMYECAUSE OF INFECTIONS AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS, HE WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO FULL DUTY DURING THIS TIHE. HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY AFTER HE HAD IGNORED SEVERAL DIRECT ORDERS TO PRESENT HIMSELF AT THE DSEMP HEADQUARTERS.
IS NO HARD EVIDENCE POINTING TO BETETA AS THEMACK, AND THE NATIONAL POLICE HAVE NAMED HIMUBJECT BECAUSE HEUPERFICIAL PHYSICAL RESEMBLANCEOF ONE OF THE ALLEGED KILLERS. AS BETETA ISA MEMBER OF THE DSEMP WHO LEFT THE LATTER SHORTLY AFTERTHE NATIONAL POLICE APPARENTLY CONCLUDED HE WOULD BEA SUSPECT AS ANY OTHER. THE FACT BETETA IS NO LONGEROR AT LEAST CANNOT BE LOCATED,USPECT. BY NAMING HIM, THE PRESSURE ONHAS TEMPORARILY EASED. (SOURCE COMMENT: THERE IS HOBETWEEN THE NATIONAL POLICE AND DSEMP. THE ALLEGEDOF THE KILLING OF MACK WOULD NATURALLY LEAD TO THE DSEMP BEOF POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT IN THE CRIHE; THE OTHERTO BE ACCUSED WOULD BE THE GUATEMALAN MILITARYTHE DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE OP THE ARMY GENERAL THE POLICE, UNABLE TO UNCOVER ANY REAL LEADS IN THELOOKED AROUNDIKELY SUSPECT WITH TIES TO ONE OF THEINTELLIGENCE SERVICES.)
(SOURCE COMMENT: BETETA WAS IK HO PHYSICAL CONDITION TOERSONNIFE AT THE TIKE THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED. THE INFORMATION ABOUT HIS INJURIES IS HOT KNOWN TO THE POLICE TET, BIT j- WILL BE PRESENTED TC THEM WHEN AN OFFICIAL REQUEST IS MADE^ mm WB THE DOCTORS WHO TREATED BETETA WILL BE ABLE TO TESTIFY TO THESE FACTS. IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT MACK WAS MURDERED FOR POLITICAL MOTIVES, AND SOME ORGANIZATION OF THE GUATEMALAN SECURITY-FORCES WAS INVOLVED. THERE IS, HOWEVER, NO EVIDENCE OF THIS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. IT IS JUST AS POSSIBLE THAT MACK WAS HURDEREDRIME OF PASSION,OMMON STREET ROBBERY OR ASSAULT, OR BY HER COLLEAGUES ON THE POLITICAL LEFT. THE POLITICAL PRESSURE SURROUNDING THE CASE HAS GENERATED THE CHARGES AGAINST BETETA, NOW SUPPOSEDLY OUT OF THE COUNTRY, AND THE VARIOUS PLAYERS INVOLVED IN THE CASE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS THANERIOUS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. THE FINAL WORD ON THE CASE AT THIS TIKE IS THAT NOBODY KNOWS WHO KILLED MACK OR WHY.)
(EMBASSY COMMENT: THIS IS ONE OF THE "HOT" HUMAN RIGHTS CASES INHERITED BY SERRANO FROM THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT. THE MIRNA MACK CHANG CASE IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR INFLUENTIAL FOREIGN HUMAN RIGHTS AND ACADEMIC ORGANIZATIONS. THE GOG IS UNDER CONSIDERABLE INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE TO SOLVE THIS CASE SOON. THE CASE IS DISCUSSED IN THE STATE0 COUNTRY HUMAN RICHTS REPORT OH GUATEMALA.)
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