Change low graphic options | English | Español | Português | Skip content to navigation
Page context: ITF Americas > Information Center > News online
Democracy in Guatemala could be at risk, say unions
5 June 2009
The ITF and transport unions in Guatemala have warned that democracy could be under threat in the country.
The unions this week claimed that powerful business and political interests were seeking to destabilise the democratically elected government led by President Álvaro Colom. The government, they stated, had antagonised these interests by rescinding a number of privatisation plans and making genuine attempts to tackle institutionalised corruption.
In a statement released in tandem with the unions, ITF general secretary David Cockroft said that there were real fears that a coup could be attempted and "the progress made in holding and abiding by democratic elections since 1996" lost. "It is unthinkable," he stated, "that the country could return to the horrors of the 36-year civil war from which it is still recovering."
He continued: "We have no automatic reason to unthinkingly support President Colom, although it's true that our and our Guatemalan unions' dealings with him have made progress on issues such as human and workers' rights that would have been unthinkable with previous governments. What we do automatically support is the maintenance of lawful government and democracy in a country that has known too little of either until recent years. It is vital that everyone who respects those concepts stands ready to defend them in Guatemala."
Oscar González, member of the STEPQ dockers' union, said that the union was against actions that were clearly intended to destabilise the government and that the country faced "a high risk of coup d’état." He said that the union was supporting the legitimate and democratic government, which had tried to create real development in the country. New policies had not pleased many groups, however; they sought to enrich themselves at the expense of the Guatemalan people.
In January 2008, soon after his election, Colom promised an ITF delegation that he would look into the case of murdered STEPQ leader Pedro Zamora, who had been gunned down in Puerto Quetzal in 2007. It is believed that the murder was linked to Zamora's role in opposing plans to privatise the port.
Related press:
1 June 2009
Unions warn of Guatemala democracy threat (También en version española)
The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and its...
Related news:
17 January 2007
ITF condemns “cowardly” shooting of Guatemalan trade union leader
The ITF has expressed outrage over the execution-style murder...
27 September 2007
Rising tide of violence against trade unionists in Guatemala
The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel,...
Related pages:
Justice for Pedro Zamora
Campaign News. The General Secretary of the ITF’s port union in...
Back to current news online stories
Section home:
Information Center
Other pages for Information Center:
Press Area | Publications | Document library | Videos
Main Sections:
Home | About us | Solidarity | Flags of Convenience campaign | Seafarers | Dockers | Civil Aviation | Railways | Road transport | Urban Transport | Fisheries | Tourism | Inland Navigation | Education | Young workers | Women | ETF Home | Congress 2010
Transport International Magazine
accessibility | site help | site map
Av. Rio Branco, 26 11 º andar, Centro Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brasil | +55 21 22230410 / 22230411 | itf_americas@itf.org.uk