Guatemalan ex-police chief arrested for disappearance during 1984 civil war

Guatemalan ex-police chief arrested for disappearance during 1984 civil war

2011-06-10 07:23:52 GMT+7 (ICT)

JUTIAPA, GUATEMALA (BNO NEWS) --Col. Hector Bol de la Cruz, former chief of Guatemala's National Police (PN), on Thursday was arrested for his involvement in the disappearance of a student's leader during the 1984 civil war, Prensa Libre newspaper reported.

Bol, who was the head of PN during the dictatorship of former President Gen. Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores, was arrested in his residence in El Progreso, Jutiapa province.

An arrest warrant was issued against the 71-year-old colonel for ordering the disappearance of Fernando Garcia, who has never been seen again since February 18, 1984. Bol said he was innocent of all allegations against him.

Garcia, a leader of the student's union which organized several protests against the Mejia regime, was intercepted by unknown men while walking in El Guarda. Ex-police chief Bol said he never met Garcia.

Bol is the fourth individual detained in relation to the disappearance. Hector Ramirez Rios and Abraham Lancerio Gomez, former PN police officers, are currently serving a 40-year prison term each after being convicted on November 2010.

Last April, Jorge Humberto Gomez Lopez was arrested for his participation in the abduction of Garcia. Gomez Lopez was the former commander of the 4th group which was tasked with the forced disappearance.

During the Guatemalan civil war, more than 200,000 people were killed or disappeared. Most of the deaths were caused by the violent crackdown of security forces on protesters and activists.

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