The possible threats of extortion to teachers of an educational center in the El Quintanal neighborhood, zone 6 capital, mobilized different units of the National Civil Police (PNC), which assured that there is no alert, since the information is related to a shooting occurred near the place. However, security will be provided through the Safe Schools program.
The information transcended after it was warned that the Roosevelt settlement educational center was closed by gangs threats, although classes developed normally, according to teachers.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Francisco Cabrera, referred to the issue and indicated that the case is under analysis and are waiting for the recommendations that the Ministry of the Interior (Mingob) can issue, either to implement virtual classes or continue in person.
“When these cases are presented, Government has to do with the safety of students and teachers, and the Mineduc seeks the continuity of the studies and that are not interrupted,” he said.
On the type of threats that the educational campus receives, the Deputy Minister of Education, Francisco Cabrera, indicated that they are of the type that gangs usually do and that are related to extortion.
He added that another educational center, located in Villalobos, has also received this type of threats, so Mingob analyzes the measures to be taken.
Cabrera said that this is a phenomenon that “has decades”, although these two cases are recent.
The official urged parents to know any fact that puts students or teachers at risk, alert Mineduc supervisors, so that these in turn inform the competent authorities.
“In these cases it is understood that there is a slight risk for students, but this can be variable. They are situations that change rapidly,” he explained.
Vice Minister Cabrera said that 600 educational centers receive security through the Safe Schools of the PNC in the department of Guatemala, although there is also national coordination to protect educational establishments in the province.
False information
The spokesman of the National Civil Police (PNC), Edwin Monroy, said that there is no threat against the educational center, and that the territorial brands of the 18th neighborhood in the gates of the campus are not recent.
Monroy explained that the information about threats arose following an armed attack that occurred on Good Friday in the El Quintanal neighborhood, in which four people died.
“From there the information originated that they wanted to kill teachers and students, but intelligence work was done, and an alert as such threat against teachers and students there is no,” said Monroy.
The police spokesman said that violence in that sector derives from the dispute over the sale of drugs between gangs.
He added that they received the statement from the director of the educational establishment and confirmed that there are no concrete threats.
The site was attended by the unit against gangs, of Police Station 12 and the Division of Crime Prevention.
“It was said that the school was closed because they opened until Tuesday of this week,” said the spokesman.