PRISON RIOT KILLS GERARDI MURDERER, SIX OTHERS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUATEMALA 000428

SIPDIS

E/0/ 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KCRM GT
SUBJECT: PRISON RIOT KILLS GERARDI MURDERER, SIX OTHERS

REF: 02 GUATEMALA 3281


1. Summary. Sergeant Jose Obdulio Villanueva, serving a
30-year sentence for the murder of Bishop Gerardi, was
decapitated along with three other inmates during a
prison riot on February 12. The riot was an internal
power struggle between two groups of inmates. The sixth
prison uprising in the past seven weeks, this one has
taken on added significance due to the presence of
several former military men involved in Guatemala's two
most prominent Human Rights murder cases. Conspiracy
theories are running rampant due to Villanueva's key
role in the Gerardi murder coupled with the successful
evacuation of three military officers being held in
connection with the murder of Myrna Mack. End Summary.

Background to a riot
--------------


2. On December 23, 2002, the bloodiest prison riot in
recent Guatemalan history left 14 dead in the Pavoncito
Detention Center (reftel). Although Pavoncito remains,
in large part, under the internal control of the
inmates, many gang members were transferred to the Zone
18 Detention Center. Within three days of their
arrival, these inmates attempted an unsuccessful riot.
The Zone 18 Detention Center has been largely under the
control of inmates with military and police backgrounds,
led by Captain Lima who, like Villanueva, received a 30-
year sentence for his role in the Gerardi murder.
Lima's control, maintained through extortion and
violence, was challenged by the ex-mayor of Cuilapa,
Edwin Franco, an inmate with connections to organized
crime.

What happened
--------------


3. In the early morning of February 12, just after
prisoners from cell block eight were released into to
the yard for routine exercise, inmates from the Franco
faction in blocks one and two either broke out or were
let out of their cells (there are conflicting official
reports as whether the cell doors were forced). The
prisoners entered the empty block eight and proceeded to
break through the wall into block seven--exclusive
territory of the military inmates. For about forty
minutes, the inmates in block seven managed to hold off
their attackers and at the same time to open another
hole in the opposite wall through which many escaped
into a patio area near the center entrance that was
under police custody. By noon the worst was over and
some wounded inmates were transferred to San Juan de
Dios Hospital. By 3:00 PM authorities were able to
remove visiting family members trapped by the violence
in the center. At 9:00 PM authorities were able to
confiscate cell phones and numerous improvised weapons.
Full control has not been restored as a result of a 24-
hour ultimatum issued to prison authorities by Lima,
some 200 gang members were transferred back to
Pavoncito.

The Mack Suspects
--------------


4. Police removed the three military officers
implicated in the 1990 murder of anthropologist Myrna
Mack (General Edgar Godoy, Colonel Oliva, and Colonel
Valencia) from the detention center without incident.
The officers were taken to the military's Cuartel
General but, in a positive development, the Cuartel
Commander refused to take custody because the police did
not have a judicial order authorizing the transfer. The
suspects were then taken to El Boqueron, a newly re-
opened maximum security facility in Santa Rosa
Department where they are currently the only inmates.
Note: Prison directors have authority to make transfers
without judicial orders under emergency circumstances,
even to military jails. Human rights groups have been
concerned that these officers would easily escape if
transferred to a military prison. In the 1990 murder of
American citizen Michael Devine, Captain Contreras
escaped within hours of being convicted and transferred
to a military prison. End Note.

Comment
--------------


5. Although Villanueva's violent execution was the
result of a riot sparked by an internal power struggle,
the persistence of the conspiracy theories and rumors
fueled by these latest prison riots are a fresh
indication of how little faith Guatemalans have in their
government. The zone 18 riot harshly reminded the
public that official corruption threatens lives. Over
the last several weeks, news of official corruption,
prison riots, and skyrocketing crime rates have been the
daily fare of all major news networks. News of the
latest riot also reminded the public that their
government has not been able to reassert complete
control over the inmates in Pavoncito (where gang
members have just been reinserted). Captain Lima's
successful ultimatum confirmed for most Guatemalans that
criminals run the prison system.