February 2007 Salvadoran congressmen killings

On February 19, 2007, three members of the ARENA Party of El Salvador — Eduardo D'Aubuisson, William Pichinte and Jose Ramon Gonzalez, as well as their driver, Gerardo Ramirez — were found murdered near Guatemala City, Guatemala. Their deaths remain unsolved, although there are allegations that anyone from drug gangs to members of the Guatemalan security services were involved.

Background

The three men were members of ARENA, the right-wing ruling party of El Salvador. Eduardo D'Aubuisson was the son of Roberto D'Aubuisson, the founder of ARENA and allegedly the leader of numerous Salvadoran death squads during that country's 1980-92 civil war.

Guatemala has one of the highest murder rates in Latin America and is used frequented by drug traffickers traveling from Colombia, through Mexico and to the United States. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7506694.stm BBC NEWS | Americas | Gunmen kill Guatemala prosecutor ] ]

The murders

The three men were on their way to Guatemala City to attend the Central American Parliament on February 19, 2007. Their Toyota Land Cruiser, part of a four-car motrocade heading to the capital, pulled out of the convoy and onto a remote road at El Jocotillo, about 20 miles southeast of Guatemala City. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/20/america/LA-GEN-Guatemala-Bodies-Found.php Salvadoran president condemns killings of 3 legislators in Guatemala - International Herald Tribune ] ]

The next day, the bodies of the three congressmen and their driver were found in their charred and burnt vehicle. There were indications they had been tortured before death. [http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/641/74/ Upside Down World - Accused Guatemalan Police Are Killed in Their Jail Cells ] ]

ubsuquent events

Soon after the murders, four Guatemalan policemen were arrested on suspicion of being involved with the murder. They had been tracked by a GPS system embedded in a police vehicle that was at the scene of the killings. They were arrested and charged in connection with the case on February 22; all four suspects were then moved to a maximum-security prison cell.

However, on Feb. 25, the four men were murdered inside their prison cell. Guards reportedly allowed the assailants into the cell unhindered. [ [http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jul/06/world/fg-guatemala6 The World - Guatemala killings inquiry hits snags - U.S. officials say the investigation into the slayings of three Salvadoran lawmakers has been mishandled. - Los Angeles Tim... ] ]

In July 2008, 13 suspects accused in the killings of the four suspects were acquitted by a judge.

On July 14, 2008, the state prosecutor who had accused the 13 men, Juan Carlos Martinez, was shot dead in Guatemala City.

Motives

Suspects range from drug cartels who were linked to the three dead men to Guatemalan or Salvadoran security officials. [http://www.politicalaffairs.net/index.php/article/articleview/5088/1/251/]

References

External links

* [http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1595944,00.html A Murder Spree in Central America]
* [http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jul/06/world/fg-guatemala6 Guatemala killings inquiry hits snags]