RIO DE JANEIRO, 1 June 2009: International Transport Workers Federation, ITF, and its member trade unions in Guatemala Monday sounded a warning that democracy is under threat in the country, where powerful business interests are seeking to destabilize the elected government.
The unions believe that political and economic interests – who have lost out following the current president, Álvaro Colom’s, rescinding of privatization plans and are alarmed by his apparently genuine attempts to tackle institutionalized corruption – wish to see his government unseated. They have recently seized on the death of a lawyer who had said that if he died the president would be responsible. That claim has been denied by the government and no proof has been offered to substantiate it.
David Cockroft, ITF General Secretary, commented: – There’s real fear in Guatemala that a coup will be attempted and the progress made in holding and abiding by democratic elections since 1996 will be lost. It is unthinkable that the country could return to the horrors of the 36 year civil war from which it is still recovering.
He continued: – We have no automatic reason to unthinkingly support President Colom, although it’s true that our and our Guatemalan unions’ dealings with him have made progress on issues such as human and workers’ rights that would have been unthinkable with previous governments. What we do automatically support is the maintenance of lawful government and democracy in a country that has known too little of either until recent years. It is vital that everyone who respects those concepts stands ready to defend them in Guatemala.
Kilde: Pressemeddelelse fra ITF
