The ambassador of the United States, Mr. John Gordon Meinwas murdered yesterday—August 28—at 3:05 p.m. by several individuals who shot him nine times, at the intersection of 12th Street and Avenida de La Reforma, zone 10. The police’s first assumption is that an attempt was made to kidnap the diplomat and he, when he resisted, was murdered.
According to the version provided by the driver and other witnesses to the crime, two cars followed the ambassador’s car on Avenida de La Reforma. One was green, small, and the other red, long, with a black hood. About 11 people were traveling in both.
As we reached 12th Street, zone 10, the green car passed the ambassador’s car and plowed into him, forcing him to pull over. The red car immediately approached him, from where two subjects got out, one of them carrying a machine gun and after pointing guns at both passengers, they told the ambassador to get out, to which he refused. On the contrary, the driver said, the ambassador opened the opposite rear door and ran south, on the street.
He had walked about 10 meters when the one with the machine gun and the other, with a squad, shot him, fatally wounding him. Mr. Mein fell on his face, motionless, while the subjects got into the vehicles and fled.
They try to help the diplomat
Dr. Salvador Ortega, who happened to be passing by the place, got out of his vehicle with his first aid bag, and with the help of the driver they lifted the ambassador to the grass of one of the flowerbeds, where he died.
The news spread immediately. Police, municipal firefighters and government officials showed up, including the Minister of Defense, Adolfo Chinchilla, and the Chancellor, Emilio Arenales Catalánas well as officials from the North American embassy and journalists who at that time were enjoying a lunch offered at the Guatemala Biltmore hotel. The Government strongly condemned the cowardly attack.
Original text of the note published in edition #5235 of Prensa Libre
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