Leading U.S. diplomat backs Guatemala’s Colom

Guatemala is facing “a serious test of its fortitude” over the allegations that President Alvaro Colom and his close allies masterminded the murder of a prominent attorney. The accusations surrounding Colom has lead his opponents to protest and present a petition of more than 30,000 signatures of citizens calling for his prompt resignation. Not to be outdone, Colom’s supporters have come out to back him up; the latest example being a rally of an estimated 40,000 people on Sunday.

So far, Colom has received the backing of the Organization of American States and several Latin American leaders. The embattled president has even got the support of a key U.S. diplomat:

A senior U.S. official visited Guatemala on Monday to show support for President Alvaro Colom, who has been facing public protest due to alleged involvement in a lawyer's murder, news reports said.

Colom restated his innocence of all charges at a meeting with U.S. Undersecretary of State for Latin America David Robinson, a Guatemala government spokesman told reporters Monday.

Whether he is innocent or guilty, the “two Guatemalas” that have emerged from the Colom scandal may break the country beyond repair.

Image- BBC News
Online Sources- Xinhua, LAHT, AP, The Latin Americanist, csmonitor.com