Vice President resigns under dark clouds in Guatemala

Guatemala's Supreme Court ruled that Congress could strip Roxanna Baldetti of her immunity as they investigate her ties to the recent discovery of a $100 million-plus customs fraud case involving her private secretary. Congress then formed a five-person committee to issue a recommendation. The Constitutional Court then upheld the Supreme Court's decision Friday morning.

At the same time, Guatemalan authorities arrested five lawyers who had won bail for their clients after allegedly bribing Judge Marta Sierra Stalling. They are now in the process of having the judge's immunity lifted as well.

The big event of the day, however, was the resignation of Vice President Baldetti. She has yet to be formally accused of any involvement in the corruption scandal but I assume that's only a matter of time. At best, her private secretary oversaw the looting of $100 million from the people of Guatemala right under her nose. I'm not sure anyone can seriously believe that to be the case. She has been connected to unexplained wealth for the entire term.

With a sober expression on his face, Perez Molina said Roxana Baldetti had abandoned her offices in the presidential palace and he was informing congress. He called the decision "brave" and thanked her for her service.

"Her resignation is due to a personal decision with the only interest being to leave her office voluntarily, to submit herself to and cooperate with whatever investigations may be necessary and above all within the due process," Perez Molina said.

Baldetti is the first Guatemalan vice president to step down due to a corruption case, although prosecutors have not implicated her in the scandal and she denies involvement.

Otto Perez Molina has also been connected to unexplained wealth during his years as a congressman and, more recently, as president. Therefore, the scandal is unlikely to end with the vice president's resignation. As I speculated three weeks ago when the scandal broke, "there have to be questions concerning the ability of the president and vice president to serve out the remaining months of their terms."

One question has been answered.