Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 26, 1993 TAG: 9305260174
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From The Associated Press and The Washington Post
DATELINE: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA LENGTH: Medium
The capital, scene of sometimes violent demonstrations last week, remained calm after the televised 7:15 a.m. announcement.
The presidents of Congress and the Supreme Court were put under house arrest. Reporters saw military police take away the government human-rights prosecutor, who has accused the army of involvement in politically motivated murders and kidnappings.
Diplomats in the region said Serrano appeared to be acting out of fear that a military coup was imminent. Generals reportedly had expressed dissatisfaction over Serrano's handling of recent public demonstrations and the breakdown of talks aimed at ending a 32-year-old civil war.
Serrano said he decided to "purge the state of corruption to build a new country" after weeks of political turmoil and street protests over the soaring cost of living brought on by an economic austerity program.
"The measures I have adopted are the most difficult I have taken in my life," he said, and promised to leave office, as scheduled, on Jan. 14, 1996.
The action resembled the widely criticized seizure of powers by Peruvian President Alfredo Fujimori, who dismissed that country's congress and judges in April 1992. He accused them of obstructing his efforts to rebuild the economy and fight two leftist rebel groups.
Serrano, who took office in January 1991, said an election would be held within 60 days to choose an assembly to discuss changes in Guatemala's constitution. He did not say what changes he had in mind.
The elected president said he was responding to a series of worker and student protests over economic and political issues last week, some of which led to clashes between demonstrators and police.
On Friday, he formed a joint military-police anti-riot squad and vowed to crack down on protesters. The same day about 10,000 people marched peacefully, many carrying Serrano's picture and chanting "Resign! Resign!"
Serrano said Tuesday he had been a victim of "political blackmail by the Congress." His three-party coalition recently was weakened by the defection of the Christian Democrat party.
In Washington, the Organization of American States permanent council scheduled a meeting to discuss the situation.
The Clinton administration denounced Serrano's action as "illegitimate."
Despite seven years of civilian rule in Guatemala, the civil war and behind-the-scenes military domination have made it one of the least stable of Central America's emerging democracies.
The suspension of Guatemala's constitution ends a brief period of relative peace for elected, constitutional governments in every Central American country for the first time in generations.
by CNB