With an arrest warrant issued in his name and the population in protest, Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina resigned on September 2 after accusations of corruption. Weekly protests have ensued throughout the country since April when the allegations first surfaced.
Accused of receiving bribes in exchange for reducing taxes for companies that import products into Guatemala, Molina was arrested just a day after announcing his resignation but still maintains he’s innocent. Even as evidence against him is solidifying, he believes his political opponents and enemies are behind this, spreading false news to acquire more power.Corruption is nothing new to Guatemala. In fact, Vice President Roxana Baldetti left her post in May after similar accusations surfaced against her, and she, too, has since been arrested.
Thankfully, elections were already planned for September 6, so the people of Guatemala have an opportunity to elect a new leader.
by Camila Jones’17
