Guatemala war trial puts past closer to president
Apr 9, 3:28 AM EDT
Guatemala war trial puts past closer to president
By SONIA PEREZ DIAZ
Associated Press
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) -- Guatemala's struggle to deal with the war crimes of the past, including bringing an aging former dictator and his officers to justice, has taken a sharp turn to the present.
A mechanic testifying at the genocide trial of ex-strongman Efrain Rios Montt, now 86, became the first person to directly accuse current President Otto Perez Molina of ordering pillaging and executions in the 36-year civil war, which killed a total of 200,000, mostly indigenous Maya.
Such rumors and accusations had surfaced about Perez before, but without proof or formal charges. He has called Thursday's testimony "lies."
But the national talk continued Monday, four days after Hugo Reyes told a stunned courtroom: "The soldiers, on orders from Major `Tito Arias,' better known as Otto Perez Molina ... coordinated the burning and looting, in order to later execute people."
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