Guatemalans block highways in protest of president, attorney general
Mayor Jose Tax Sapon, center, and neighbors block a highway during a protest Thursday in Totonicapan, Guatemala.
(Moises Castillo / Associated Press)
GUATEMALA CITY —
Thousands of Guatemalans took to the streets in protest Thursday, blocking highways and calling for a national strike over the government’s apparent unwillingness to tackle corruption.
Pressure has been building since Atty. Gen. Consuelo Porras fired anti-corruption special prosecutor Juan Francisco Sandoval on July 23. In response, the United States government this week said that it had lost confidence in Guatemala’s commitment to battling corruption and was temporarily suspending cooperation with Porras’ office.