CONFIDENTIAL
GUATEMALA
Report by Latin America Department
Right No.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Rating suggested by Department
Although accurate figures are impossible to obtain, the official security forces have for many years used detention without trial, in many cases leading to death, as a means of controlling an extremely volatile public security situation. However, even where cases have been documented by, eg, Amnesty International, it is extremely difficult to apportion blame between the authorities and the various political and other para-military groups.
The condition of the bodies of those abducted and murdered leads to the con- clusion that the use of torture is widespread.
Slavery does not exist.
5
5
O
(iv)
There is technical freedom of expression, but in practice the authorities are able to keep the media under a tight rein, except when the interests of the Government and the extreme right diverge.
4
(v)
The judiciary is technically independent under the terms of the Constitution but is in practice venal and has been criticised by the Church as an obstructive force in the way of social reform.
5
(vi)
(vii)
The trade unions are technically free, as long as they do not indulge in "political" activities. Recent evidence suggests that they can in practice exercise effective power in industrial disputes.
International conventions are observed in theory, and in fact it is easy to get out of Guatemala because there is no require- ment for passports or other documents for travel to other Central American countries. However, due to the arbitrary nature of the operations of the security forces, it would in practice be easy for them to
3
2
CONFIDENTIAL
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