With democracy-related concerns in Guatemala already rife over the election of top judges [
WR-20-28], the human rights ombudsman, Jordán Rodas, has warned that President Alejandro Giammattei’s declaration of a state of siege in five municipalities is not “healthy for democratic development”. Giammattei justified the move, which allows for a military deployment and restricts constitutional guarantees, on the grounds that organised criminal groups had been detected there. However, this argument has been rejected by Rodas, indigenous groups, opposition parties, and human rights organisations, who argue it is rather to protect the interests of mining and monoculture companies active in the area.
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