Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06GUATEMALA668
2006-04-04 20:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Guatemala
Cable title:
GUATEMALA TAKING ACTION TO CORRECT FAULTY LANGUAGE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0023 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHGT #0668 0942024 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 042024Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9332 INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J-5// PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000668
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PHUM KCRM KJUS ASEC EAID PTER GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA TAKING ACTION TO CORRECT FAULTY LANGUAGE
IN ORGANIZED CRIME BILL
REF: GUATEMALA 0631
UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000668
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PHUM KCRM KJUS ASEC EAID PTER GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA TAKING ACTION TO CORRECT FAULTY LANGUAGE
IN ORGANIZED CRIME BILL
REF: GUATEMALA 0631
1. (U) The Guatemalan Congress is asking President Berger to
veto the organized crime bill (reftel) because of ambiguous
language in a last minute amendment that would have cut in
half the maximum prison sentences for several types of major
crimes, including murder and kidnapping.
2. (U) President of Congress Jorge Mendez Herbrugger and
First Vice President Oliverio Garcia Rodas told us April 3
that Berger will send the bill back to Congress with
"observations" asking the Congress to correct the error.
Garcia Rodas said the bill will authorize prison sentences of
six to eight years for conspiracy. Noting that the March 30
congressional approval had been unanimous, he predicted easy
and quick passage of the legislation once corrected.
3. (SBU) Comment: Legislation that leaves the Guatemalan
Congress frequently contains poorly-drafted and ambiguous
language, riddled with loopholes, poison pills, and internal
contradictions. What is surprising in this case is that the
media quickly caught and publicized the errors before the
bill was signed and went into effect. We will push the
Congress to act quickly to approve a corrected version of
this law.
DERHAM
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PHUM KCRM KJUS ASEC EAID PTER GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA TAKING ACTION TO CORRECT FAULTY LANGUAGE
IN ORGANIZED CRIME BILL
REF: GUATEMALA 0631
1. (U) The Guatemalan Congress is asking President Berger to
veto the organized crime bill (reftel) because of ambiguous
language in a last minute amendment that would have cut in
half the maximum prison sentences for several types of major
crimes, including murder and kidnapping.
2. (U) President of Congress Jorge Mendez Herbrugger and
First Vice President Oliverio Garcia Rodas told us April 3
that Berger will send the bill back to Congress with
"observations" asking the Congress to correct the error.
Garcia Rodas said the bill will authorize prison sentences of
six to eight years for conspiracy. Noting that the March 30
congressional approval had been unanimous, he predicted easy
and quick passage of the legislation once corrected.
3. (SBU) Comment: Legislation that leaves the Guatemalan
Congress frequently contains poorly-drafted and ambiguous
language, riddled with loopholes, poison pills, and internal
contradictions. What is surprising in this case is that the
media quickly caught and publicized the errors before the
bill was signed and went into effect. We will push the
Congress to act quickly to approve a corrected version of
this law.
DERHAM