Weekly Report - 30 July 2009 (WR-09-30)

GUATEMALA | Police chief investigated. Last week President Alvaro Colom ordered an investigation into allegations that the new chief of police (PNC), Porfirio Pérez Paniagua, was responsible for the disappearance of US$300,000 seized in a police operation on 10 June, two days after he assumed his position [WR-09-23]. According to the local press, on 29 June, the PNC's deputy operations director, Héctor Castellanos ordered the suspension of the investigation into the missing money. Castellanos was sacked from the PNC for corruption the previous year but reportedly received his new position following Pérez's appointment. Pérez denies the accusations and has called for an immediate investigation into the claims.