GUATEMALAN MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT DIES IN

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000821

STATE PLEASE PASS TO WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM KJUS ASEC SNAR ES GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALAN MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT DIES IN
HELICOPTER CRASH


1. (U) On June 27, Minister of Government Carlos Vinicio
Gomez Ruiz, along with Vice Minister of Government Edgar
Hernandez Umana and two pilots, died in a helicopter crash.
The four men were returning from a ceremony in the department
of Peten when their helicopter crashed in a remote and
mountainous area in the department of Baja Verapaz. There
was no indication of foul play. Bad weather is widely
believed to have caused the accident, but Guatemalan
authorities will investigate the crash.


2. (U) Rescue efforts were hampered by bad weather and the
remoteness of the crash site, but locals report that the four
men died on impact. Rescue workers and members of the
Guatemalan military recovered the bodies after an 18-hour
roundtrip hike from the nearest point accessible by air. On
June 28, the bodies were returned to Guatemala City, with
religious and memorial services held the following day. The
day after the crash, President Alvaro Colom publicly stated
that he had decided on Gomez' replacement, but he has thus
far only stated that the replacement will not be a current or
former member of the military.


3. (SBU) Gomez served as the Vice Minister of Government
(March 2007- January 2008) under the prior administration,
and the Embassy had developed a close working relationship
with him. Hernandez Umana served as a PNC Chief in the late
1990s and as Chief of Security for Congress prior to his
appointment in January as Vice Minister of Government.


4. (SBU) Gomez' death, along with the death of one of the
most effective members of his management team, could set back
the GOG's efforts to improve the country's security
situation. Gomez played a key role in reducing violent crime
rates when he was Vice Minster in 2007 and Minister in 2008.

Derham