The names of the executive officers, including the sub-secretaries of the union for the Guatemalan Ministry of Finance (Sindicato de Finanzas) during the first half of 1994 and the likelihood that a person who was involved with the G-2 would be accepted in the executive of the Sindicato de Finanzas, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

The attached Inter Press Service article reports the 1994 abduction and murder of Abner Wilson, son of Sonia Wilson, the secretary-general of the Guatemalan Finance Ministry Workers' Union (SITRAMAS) (15 June 1994). In a 25 November 1998 telephone inquiry with the Empresa Guatemalteca de Telecomunicaciones (GUATEL), Guatemala's national telephone company, the Research Directorate was told that there is no listing for the union SITRAMAS. Despite many attempts, the Research Directorate was unable to contact a representative of Guatemala's Ministry of Finance to determine the names of the executive officers of this union for the first half of 1994.

Guatemala Human Rights Update (GHRU) reports that Armando Sánchez, a unionist has received threats and was intimidated by individuals whom he identified as members of the army's G-2 intelligence unit (26 June 1998, 2). Although the article does not mention with which labour union Armando Sanchez is affiliated, the Europa World Yearbook 1998 states that an individual with the same name is the Secretary of the Federación Nacional de Sindicatos de Trabajadores del Estado de Guatemala (FENASTEG) (1998, 1556).

Guatemala Human Rights Update (GHRU) reports that

Angel Afredo Meda Hernandez was shot to death on May 21 in San Pedro Sacatepequez, San Marcos. Meda Hernandez was the father of Alvaro Elid Meda Ruiz, the director of the Unidad de Trabajadores Estatales y Sector Populares (UTESP) [Union of State Workers and Popular Sectors]. According to witnesses, the victim entered a local store, where the assailant, who remains unidentified, was waiting to kill him. The Public Ministry is currently investigating the killing (29 May 1998, 3).

The Secretary of the National Police Union, Felipe de Jesus Sirin Aguilar, along with community leaders, received death threats. Sirin Aguilar was threatened on 6 May [1998] "by a reported member of the military intelligence G-2 unit." (GHRU, 15 May 1998, 2)

Carlos Mejía, UTESP' Secretary General is quoted in a GHRU report as denouncing the kidnapping of Sonia Nineth del Valle Barrios, the daughter of Martha Barrios, a woman affiliated with the Health Workers Union. "The Union leader alleged that Rodolfo Rubin Juarez, a presumed member of the military intelligence unit G-2, has threatened relatives of Del Valle" (20 Mar. 1998).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Europa World Yearbook 1998. 1998.

Guatemala Human Rights Update (GHRU) [Washington, DC]. 26 June 1998. No. 12 & 13. "Death Threats Issued in Quetzaltenango."

_____. 29 May 1998. No. 11. "Unionist's Father Killed in San Marcos."

_____. 15 May 1998. No. 10. "Community Leaders and Union Leader Threatened."

_____. 20 March 1998. No. 6. "Worker, Daughter of Unionist, Abducted."

Attachment

Inter Press Service (IPS). 15 June 1994. "Guatemala: Wave of Violence Hits Union Members and Families." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

Central America Newspak [Austin, Tex.]. 1996-1998.

Central America Report [Toronto]. 1996-1998.

Centroamerica [Minneapolis]. 1996-1998.

Cerigua [Guatemala City].1998.

Jane's Intelligence Review [London]. 1996-1998.

Latin America Regional Reports: Caribbean and Central America Report [London]. 1996-1998.

Latin America Weekly Report [London]. 1996-1998.

Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). 30 March 1995. Rachel Garst. "Military Intelligence and Human Rights in Guatemala: The Archivo and the Case of Intelligence Reform." Washington, DC: WOLA.

Electronic Sources: IRB Databases, Global News Bank, Lexis-Nexis, Internet, REFWORLD, World News Connection (WNC), ICFTU Website.