Guatemala leader resists pressure to resign

GUATEMALA CITY – Pressure grew Thursday on Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina to resign as business and government offices closed, protesters marched by the thousands and the attorney general’s office urged him to step down “to prevent ungovernability that could destabilize the nation.”

Guatemala’s congress also named a commission of five legislators to consider whether to remove the president’s immunity from prosecution, a process somewhat like impeachment. But only one member of the commission was from the opposition, and a previous effort in congress failed.

In comments to a local radio station in the evening, Perez Molina reiterated that he does not intend to resign and will face the process against him.

“I am here and I am not going to turn my back on the Guatemalan people,” the president said. “I am not going to hide. … I have nothing to hide.”

His government is on the ropes because of a fraud scandal involving bribes funneled to a chain of officials who helped businesses evade import duties, including allegedly his vice president, who was forced to resign and is now in jail awaiting trial.

Major government offices and businesses, the power base in Guatemala, have urged him to reconsider his resolve to stay, including the government comptrollers’ office.

Even Guatemala’s national Council of Bishops issued a statement saying “we believe the president should reconsider his decision not to resign … we fear that his current position could cause more polarization and conflict in the country.”

Seven Cabinet members have resigned and two, his former defense and interior ministers, have left Guatemala, the country’s immigration service confirmed.

The massive protest Thursday followed days of intermittent roadblocks by demonstrators who want the president to resign and the Sept. 6 presidential elections to be postponed.