Guatemalan police on January 11 arrested the country’s former interior minister for allegedly not carrying out his duties when he opted for dialogue with protesters rather than using force to remove them as a court had ordered. Police arrested Napoléon Barrientos at his home, leading him out in handcuffs and a bulletproof vest. Barrientos told reporters he didn’t know why he was being arrested.
Barrientos resigned in October, after weeks of nationwide protests aimed at forcing the resignation of Attorney General Consuelo Porras. The retired brigadier general had said publicly that he preferred to seek dialogue with the protesters. Porras had called for the immediate removal of roadblocks, with force if necessary.
The protests were in response to Porras’ persecution of President-elect Bernardo Arévalo, his party, and electoral officials. Porras’ office has a number of open investigations against Arévalo and his party that outside observers have criticized as politically motivated.
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