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WORLD NEWSMonday 7 December 2015

Indicted ex-leaders a message to Central America elites

Guatemala’s former president Otto Perez Molina makes his first statement in court in Guatemala September while still sit- the streets to protest cor-
City in September, 2015, after spending his first night in military custody, following his resignation. ting as Guatemala’s presi- ruption. On Thursday, Hon-
In just three months, three former presidents of Central American countries have been charged dent — an unprecedented durans publicly cheered
with corruption. act since democracy took the indictment of Callejas,
hold in Latin America. He chanting “To jail! To jail!”
(AP Photo/Luis Soto) is now jailed along with his While human rights viola-
former vice president, both tions were long the main
K. CORCORAN tions hit so high. It’s a new as head of the Honduran facing graft charges. crimes at the center of at-
Associated Press indication that these small, Soccer Federation. “We’re finally beginning tention in the region after
MEXICO CITY (AP) — In just yet strategically located The same day, a judge in to see countries willing to decades of civil wars, the
three months, three former countries long known for El Salvador ordered former investigate and try to hold galvanizing issue now is
presidents of Central Amer- unpunished corruption President Francisco Flores accountable people who corruption.
ican countries have been may be more willing to go to stand trial for allegedly were previously untouch- “We had ‘never again’
charged with corruption, after the powers that be. diverting $15 million in do- able,” said Eric Olson, asso- as the theme for the mas-
two of them in the past The Honduran government nations for earthquake vic- ciate director of the Latin sive violations of human
week as ex-leaders of both announced Thursday that tims to his personal and po- American program at the rights in the early transition
Honduras and El Salvador the U.S. has requested ex- litical party accounts dur- Wilson Center think tank in to democracy,” Zovatto
were ordered to stand trial. tradition of former President ing his 1999-2004 term. Washington. “This is more said. “Now in the more
The region has always been Rafael Leonardo Calle- But the most dramatic ex- than just more of the same, advanced stage, the new
fraught with scandals in- jas on charges of taking ample is Otto Perez Mo- especially in Guatemala. ‘never again’ has to do
volving crooked politicians, bribes for television con- lina, who was taken down And that has other sitting with corruption.”
but never have investiga- tracts through his position by corruption charges in presidents quite nervous.” Even so, the traditionally
Experts cite two main rea- weak and politically mal-
sons for the change: a leable institutions in these
more vibrant civil society countries cannot carry
and outside intervention. out the sentiments of the
Latin America just expe- population. Most federal
rienced a “golden de- prosecutors remain politi-
cade,” in which strong cal arms of the presidency.
economic GDP growth All three recent cases have
produced an emerging required help from the out-
middle class fed up with side — the United States for
corruption and more de- Honduras and El Salvador,
manding of government a U.N.-backed internation-
officials, said Daniel Zovat- al prosecutorial commis-
to, regional director for the sion in Guatemala.
International Institute for The U.S. is prosecuting
Democracy and Electoral Callejas, but the Honduran
Assistance. government is fully coop-
Guatemala and Honduras erating with extradition of
have seen diverse groups a man who remains a very
of various classes taking to powerful figure.
El Salvador’s case against
Dominican court strikes down law on certain abortions Flores started with a suspi-
cious activities report by
SANTO DOMINGO, Domini- scheduled to go into effect seek out unsafe abortions coming days. Happy Mar- the U.S. Treasury Depart-
can Republic (AP) — A Do- Dec. 27. Critics of the ruling because they are denied riage, one of the groups ment that was revealed
minican court has blocked said it will put the health of access to safe and legal that filed the complaint, last year by then President
a new law that would have women at risk. medical treatment.” said the law violated the Mauricio Funes.
decriminalized abortions “This decision takes wom- Human rights groups esti- constitution, which states Perez Molina was brought
for the first time if a preg- en’s and girls’ human rights mate nearly 85,000 clan- that the right to life begins down by the International
nant woman’s life was at back to the 19th century,” destine abortions are per- when a couple conceives. Commission Against Im-
risk, backing a complaint said Erika Guevara, an formed every year in the Abortions in cases of rape, punity in Guatemala, an
filed by several religious Amnesty International di- Dominican Republic, with incest or fetus malforma- international group of in-
groups. rector. “Its impact will be some 15,000 women being tion remain illegal in the dependent prosecutors
The ruling issued late last catastrophic for women hospitalized in serious con- Dominican Republic de- who uncovered a large
week by the Constitutional and girls in the Dominican dition as a result. spite an earlier request government fraud ring re-
Tribunal cannot be ap- Republic who will con- The Constitutional Tribunal from President Danilo Me- quiringbusinesses to pay
pealed and upholds a law tinue to be criminalized, expects to issue an expla- dina that legislators reverse kickbacks in exchange for
from 1884. The new law was stigmatized and forced to nation for its ruling in the that law as well.q lower import duties. q