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In-Depth Information
The demonstrators quickly targeted the offices of outspoken media opposing Ríos
Montt's candidacy, holding an entire building hostage for several hours after trying to oc-
cupy it. They also marched on the courts and opposition party headquarters, shooting out
windows and burning tires in city streets. Journalists were attacked, including a TV cam-
eraman who died of a heart attack while running away from an angry mob. The rioters fi-
nally disbanded after the second day of riots when Ríos Montt publicly called on them to
return to their homes.
See THE 1996 PEACE ACCORDS
Following the unrest, the Constitutional Court, laden with allies of Ríos Montt and Por-
tillo, overturned the Supreme Court decision and cleared the way for Ríos Montt to run for
president. A majority of Guatemalans were disgusted with his actions and the corrupt leg-
acy of his party. They expressed their discontent at the polls, where Ríos Montt finished a
distant third in the presidential race.
Óscar Berger
The winner after a second, run-off election between the top two candidates was Óscar Ber-
ger Perdomo of GANA (Gran Alianza Nacional or Grand National Alliance), a former
Guatemala City mayor who represented the interests of the economic elite but surrounded
himself with a diverse cabinet. Among them was Rigoberta Menchú, who was named the
governmentalgoodwillambassadorforthepeaceaccords,whichthegovernmentpromised
to take up again.
The new government's first priority quickly became cleaning up the mess left behind by
the FRG. The national treasury had been ransacked of more than US$1 billion, with cor-
ruption on an unprecedented scale involving theft, money laundering, monetary transfers
tothearmy,andcreationofsecretbankaccountsinPanama,Mexico,andtheUnitedStates
by members of Portillo's staff. Berger promised to bring corrupt officials from the FRG
government to justice. Remarkably, he was able to make good on his promises, and many
corruptofficialsarenowbehindbarsawaitingtrial,althoughsomehavemanagedtoescape
prosecution due to the inefficiency and corruption still rampant in the country's judicial
system. AsofFebruary2010,Portillo wasinaGuatemalan prisoncell awaiting extradition
to the U.S. to face charges.
Crime and lack of security continued to be problems affecting a wide spectrum of the
population. Gang violence plagued Guatemala City and numerous other cities and towns.
The police force increasingly came under fire for corruption, initiating a long process of
cleansing out its corrupt elements in the hopes of making it more effective. In the face of
thepoliceforce'sinabilitytoabatethecontinuingupswinginviolentcrime,whichincluded
16dailyhomicides,Bergerwasforcedtointegratejointpolice-militarypatrols.Thesecame
under fire as evidence of increasing militarization, contrary to the 1996 peace accords.
 
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