VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGT #0313 0711821
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111821Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4942
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0869
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0205

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000313 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR USAID FOR LAC/CAM KSIENKIEWICZ 
DEPT FOR IO/UNP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM KJUS KDEM PGOV SOCI GT
SUBJECT: CICIG AGREES TO INVESTIGATE MURDERS OF WOMEN IN 
GUATEMALA 
 
REF: 07 GUATEMALA 1967 
 
¶1. Summary:  On March 6, at the request of the Guatemalan 
government, the International Commission Against Impunity in 
Guatemala (CICIG) agreed to investigate murders of women. 
During the official signing ceremony, attended by the 
Ambassador and other members of the diplomatic community, 
President Colom affirmed his commitment to combat violence 
against women.  CICIG Commissioner Castresana, noting that 
590 women were murdered in 2006, announced that CICIG would 
investigate paradigmatic cases of "femicide."  End Summary. 
 
¶2. On March 6, CICIG Commissioner Carlos Castresana signed an 
agreement with President Colom and representatives of the 
Secretariat of Social Work of the First Lady's Office 
 
SIPDIS 
(SOSEP), the Presidential Secretariat for Women (SEPREM), and 
the Office of the Defense of the Indigenous Woman (DEMI) to 
investigate murders of women in Guatemala as part of its 
mandate.  The agreement was made at the request of First Lady 
Sandra Torres de Colom.  The Ambassador and other members of 
the diplomatic community, along with senior government 
officials, including the Attorney General, attended the 
signing ceremony at the National Palace of Culture. 
 
¶3. CICIG Commissioner Castresana asserted that discrimination 
engenders violence against women.  He described "femicide" as 
one of Guatemala's most serious criminal phenomena.  He noted 
that 590 women (an estimated 10 percent of total murders in 
Guatemala) were reported murdered in 2006, and that criminal 
statistics indicate that the majority of crimes against women 
originated within the family. 
 
¶4. Castresana underscored the need for an adequate judicial 
response to deter criminals, as well as better coordination 
of social and educational services and civil justice to 
reduce the level of violence.  Combating impunity, he said, 
is the best means of preventing and reducing the occurrence 
of "femicide."  He said CICIG will investigate paradigmatic 
cases.  It will also aim to strengthen public policies to 
protect women, and highlight the theme of intra-familial 
violence. 
 
¶5. First Lady Sandra Torres de Colom characterized "femicide" 
as "a crime against humanity, family, and society," and a 
violation of the right to life based on gender 
discrimination.  Noting that 614 women were killed in 
Guatemala in 2007, she lamented that Congress had not 
approved the pending law against femicide, which defines and 
sanctions crimes against women.  The First Lady asked CICIG 
to investigate as a priority case the murder of Alba Mishell 
Espana Diaz, a 9-year-old girl who was kidnapped and murdered 
in Camotan, Chiquimula, in June 2007. 
 
¶6. President Colom pledged to end impunity in cases of 
murders of women.  He promised to implement by January 2012 
"solid rule of law," and urged Congress to expedite approval 
of the law against femicide. 
 
¶7. Comment:  This is the third priority area that the GOG has 
petitioned CICIG to investigate.  (The other two petitions 
called for investigation of the alleged fraud and 
embezzlement of funds from the Guatemalan Bank of Commerce, 
and investigation of murders of public bus drivers.)  Murders 
of women, which constitute an estimated 10 percent of all 
murders in Guatemala, have been attributed to various 
motives, including domestic violence, gang revenge, common 
crime, organized crime, and narcotrafficking.  In most cases, 
the motive is difficult to identify in the absence of 
effective police and judicial follow-up. 
Qeffective police and judicial follow-up. 
Derham