Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 21 September 2018
Mexico commemorates victims of deadly quakes

By PETER ORSI Elsewhere, victims' relatives
MARK STEVENSON gathered at the site of a
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mex- seven-story office building
ico's wounds remained in Mexico City's Condesa
open Wednesday as vic- district that collapsed last
tims, relatives and rescuers Sept. 19, killing 49 people.
marked the Sept. 19 anni- The rubble was long ago
versaries of last year's earth- cleared, but the site re-
quake that killed more than mains blocked off with ply-
360 people and the devas- wood. Friends and family of
tating 1985 temblor that left victims have posted signs
at least 9,500 dead. with messages of love on
With reconstruction slow the fencing.
from the 2017 quake, rela- "It's difficult. All the memo-
tives of the dead and ries come flooding back
quake victims gathered at of everything. I can't find
vacant lots where buildings words," said Consuelo de
once stood. A year later, Luna, whose son died in the
their search for justice has collapse.
been fruitless, with none of "It may be a year, but its
the owners or builders of feels to me like it was yes-
collapsed structures having terday," de Luna said. "It is
been convicted. Rescue workers stand with with raised fists and in silence, in front of a 1985 earthquake memorial so hard."
Fernando Sanchez Lira during a ceremony marking that quake's 33rd anniversary and last year's 7.1 magnitude earth- Claudia Acosta Luna, a
stood on the lot where quake, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. lawyer whose cousin Kar-
both his mother and sis- Associated Press ina Gabriela died in the
ter died when a five-story collapse, was one of sev-
downtown office build- roof years ago that may "This continues. We have that was used by rescuers eral relatives wearing black
ing collapsed in last year's have contributed to the learned nothing," he add- after the quake to call for T-shirts emblazoned: "It is
magnitude 7.1 quake killing collapse. ed. The legal case has silence and has since be- my hope to see you again,
at least 15 people. Overall, "The building was really made little progress, he come a symbol of remem- I continue to await that
the temblor killed 228 peo- bad. The owner knew it," said, noting that "the own- brance and solidarity. fate."
ple in the capital and 141 said Sanchez Lira, who quit ers are powerful people. A weeping Arturo Gomez, Acosta recalled her cousin
more in nearby states. his job to pursue legal ac- They could buy the legal his arm aloft, shouted, "We as a lover of concerts who
Sanchez Lira said the build- tion against the owners. "It system." miss you a lot!" He referred took care of her. "It's even
ing had been unsafe since continued operating be- Moments later, the quake to Maria Elena Sanchez sadder to know that it was
another tremor 12 days cause of corruption, and alarm siren sounded Lira, his wife of 39 years and not only the earthquake
earlier. He said authorities there are a lot of buildings mournfully during an anni- the sister of Fernando San- but also the inadequate
allowed a heavy cellphone in that situation, that keep versary drill. Mourners held chez Lira who died in the construction of the build-
tower to be built on the operating with bribes." their arms aloft in a signal quake. ing," Acosta said. q

Guatemalan protesters demand Morales reverse on graft body

side the capital to demand Ivan Velasquez, a Colombi- and the commission be-
Morales allow the commis- an national, from returning gan in January 2017, when
sion, known as CICIG for its to Guatemala from a work CICIG and Guatemalan
initials in Spanish, to stay. trip to the United States, prosecutors sought arrest
"Jimmy and Sandra resign, calling him "a person who warrants for the president's
because you are part of attacks order and public brother and son on graft
the mafia," read some ban- security in the country." charges. Both are currently
ners, referring to the presi- The Constitutional Court being prosecuted.
dent and his foreign minis- overruled that decision, In a subsequent case, Mo-
ter, Sandra Jovel. but it was not immediately rales is suspected of hav-
"It is a general feeling of clear whether Velasquez ing received more than $1
rejection of a government would be able to return. million in undeclared cam-
that has not been able to Also Thursday, U.N. Sec- paign financing. He denies
run things well," said oppo- retary-General Antonio any wrongdoing and is
Demonstrators gather at Constitution Square to protest Guate-
malan President Jimmy Morales and rally in support of the fight sition lawmaker Paul Briere, Guterres reiterated during immune from prosecution
against corruption in Guatemala City, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. who took part in the march. a news conference that as a sitting president. A re-
Associated Press Morales announced at Velasquez enjoys his full quest to lift that protection
the end of August that he confidence and he sees no is before lawmakers for a
By SONIA PEREZ D file graft probes targeting would not renew the man- reason for that to change. decision. Previous corrup-
Associated Press dozens of powerful Guate- date of the commission Guterres added that the tion investigations brought
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — malans, including one in- for another two-year term, United Nations consulted by CICIG and prosecutors
Thousands marched Thurs- volving Morales. giving it until the end of its with Morales' government have ensnared politicians,
day to protest President Students, farmers, cler- current mandate next Sep- about appointing a deputy public officials and busi-
Jimmy Morales' decision to ics, academics and others tember to wind down its to Velasquez responsible nesspeople and led to the
end the work of a U.N. anti- turned out in the streets of activities and transfer them for "coordinating CICIG's resignation and imprison-
corruption commission that Guatemala City as well as to Guatemalan institutions. actions" in the country. ment of former President
has helped lead high-pro- plazas and highways out- He then barred CICIG chief Friction between Morales Otto Perez Molina.q