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Secretary-General Laments Deaths of Farmers and Violence in Guatemala

  October 5, 2012

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, lamented the violence and the deaths of six people in the events that occurred in Guatemala, in the Department of Totonicapán.

Insulza pointed to the urgent need to clarify the origin of the clashes between farmers and members of the National Civil Police and the Army, as an essential step to calm tempers and create space for dialogue. He said that finding points of agreement is the responsibility of everyone and reiterated that only through dialogue can there be movement away from the danger of violence that haunts Guatemalan society.

Justice, said the OAS leader, is a paramount value in the life of nations, and to fight for it exalts both people and governments. In that context, Insulza offered his complete support to President Pérez Molina, in the decisions his government adopts to find and punish those found guilty, and to clarify the dramatic events that took place in the Inter-American Highway that runs through the Central American country.

Reference: E-353/12