Guatemalan president promises to investigate trade unionist crimes

The economic model needs to change. Reform the justice system and increasing physical security for those threatened will help but won't quite cut it.

The Guatemalan president Otto Pérez Molina has promised to continue investigating crimes against trade unionists and to provide them with more security if they consider their lives to be in danger.

The pledge follows increasing international pressure to end impunity in the Central American nation and seek justice for the 73 trade unionists murdered there in the past few years.

On a per capita basis, Guatemala remains the most dangerous country in the world to be a trade unionist.

Workers and their unions face widespread violations of the most basic rights, such as the right to organise and to negotiate on behalf of the workers they represent.

A number of the trade unionists killed for campaigning for better labour rights had previously sought government protection after receiving death threats.

However, the protection was not given and they were subsequently murdered.

Under international pressure, the government has consequently created protection programmes to provide trade unionists with security if they feel they are at risk.

But many trade unionists say this response alone is not enough.

As long as a relatively small number of Guatemalan and international businesses benefit from the economic model and utilize the political system to defend their privileged position to the exclusion of nearly everyone else, promises of increased security for trade unionists is not going to be that effective.

In other news, Guatemalan authorities arrested a suspect in the killing of prominent chef and restaurateur Humberto Dominguez of Kakao.