The authorities investigate the discovery of 22 abandoned bodies at different points of the department of Guatemala during July, while analysts point out possible disputes between criminal structures and question the institutional response to these violent events.
The recurrent abandonment of bodies with signs of violence has increased concern about insecurity. The cases have been registered in different sectors of the department of Guatemala and, according to a preliminary line of investigation mentioned in the report, they could be linked to territorial disputes over the retail sale of drugs.
During the program Direct Impactof Guatevisionthe discovery of 22 bodies during the monthincluding two cases reported during the day. Omar Sosa, founder of the Guatemalan Association Live with Values; Luis Villgas, an expert lawyer in security and development, and Jairón Salguero, actor and comedian, questioned the actions of the institutions in charge of security and raised the need to investigate the connections between the events.
Finds are concentrated in different parts of the department of Guatemala
Authorities are keeping the findings under investigation. One of the preliminary lines mentioned in the report points to a possible territorial dispute between criminal structures linked to the retail drug sales.
The report indicates that the Mara Salvatrucha would seek to control territories where the structure operates known as the Caradura. This version corresponds to a preliminary line of research and has yet to be confirmed by the responsible institutions.
- The first case mentioned in the report occurred on July 2when lifeguards located the body of a man with signs of violence inside a bag of dog food, in zone 1 of Mixco.
- He July 8 one of the days with the most discoveries was recorded. Two bodies were located in nylon bags in the Juan de Arco neighborhood, zone 18 of the capital. That same day, authorities found two other bodies in the San Rafael 3 neighborhood, also in zone 18.
- The day concluded with the location of two other men in Boca del Monte, Villa Canales, in similar conditions, according to the information presented during the program.
- He July 13lifeguards reported the body of a woman wrapped in sheets on the route to Ciudad Peronia, zone 8 of Villa Nueva.
- Five days later, the July 18two more findings were recorded. The body of a man was abandoned in zone 4 of Mixco, while another was located on Tulam Tzu Boulevard, zone 7 of the capital.
- He July 21four bodies wrapped in sheets were found in Ciudad Real, zone 12 of Villa Nueva.
- During the July 22 Two cases were added to the count presented. A man tied hand and foot was located at kilometer 42 of the route to Palencia. In addition, the torso of a woman was found on Atanasio Tzul road and 34 street, zone 8 of the capital.
Experts question whether cases become just statistics
Omar Sosa stated that the authorities already know the areas in which criminal structures operate and considered it necessary for the National Civil Police, the Ministry of the Interior and the Public Ministry to adopt concrete measures.
“If it is known and identified that this breach occurs through these groups called terrorists today, the most correct thing is for the authority, through the Police, the Ministry of the Interior and even the Public Ministry, to apply corrective measures.“, expressed Sosa.
The founder of the Guatemalan Association Live with Values warned that, without an institutional strategy, cases could continue to be presented as periodic counts of victims.
“Otherwise, we will always be talking about the same thing: a statistic, a number. Today there were 20, tomorrow there will be 10 or more”, he noted.
“What we want are concrete solutions. It is already identified where it comes from, where it comes from, and what we want is action”he added.
Luis Villegas, expert lawyer in security and development, questioned the work of the intelligence and investigation units of the National Civil Police.
“What is the Directorate of Civil Intelligence doing? What is the General Subdirectorate of Criminal Investigation of the Police doing? Have you already identified these structures? What are the markets? Who are the ringleaders? Where are they getting their supplies? What are they selling?“, asked.
Villegas considered it worrying that the disputes are related to the control of territories for the marketing of drugs, because, according to his analysis, this could reflect an expansion of the consumer market in Guatemala.
“Before we were just a transit country and they did the logistics and stored their drugs there, but now we see that they are fighting for the territory to sell drugs”, he stated.
They plan to investigate the connections between the deaths
Jairón Salguero recalled a history of prolonged confrontations between criminal structures for control of territories and maintained that the disputes are not recent.
“This war never ended and the victims are always the members of the gangs of these structures”said Salguero.
The comedian clarified during his speech that his statements constituted a personal opinion. He also stated, without presenting evidence, the possibility of connections between criminal groups and state structures. That allegation was not confirmed during the program and requires independent verification.
“We have already passed the stage in which, as a population, we only need preventive measures or palliative measures. Just put more police; we’re past that stage”, he stated.
“A multidisciplinary task force is needed: criminologists, criminologists, criminal investigators and specialists in organized crime, so that their only function is to try to establish the links and connections that exist between these deaths.”he explained.
Sosa argued that the findings should not be investigated as separate events. “These are not isolated events; have some interrelation”, he stated.
While investigations continue, The cases maintain the focus on the authorities’ ability to identify those responsible and contain violence that, according to experts, reflects the dispute between criminal structures.
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