U.S. commitment to democracy in Guatemala - Department of State Spokesman Richard Boucher, Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Deputy Secretary Clifton R. Wharton, Jr., speeches - Transcript

US Department of State Dispatch, June 7, 1993

Department Statement, Secretary Christopher, Deputy Secretary Wharton

Department Statement

Statement by Department Spokesman Richard Boucher, Washington, DC, May 27, 1993.

In response to President Serrano's suspension of Guatemala's Congress and judiciary on Tuesday and his actions yesterday against press freedom and other civil liberties, the United States is suspending assistance to Guatemala.

We condemn the suppression of press freedom in Guatemala and continuing censorship. These actions are a sign that Guatemala is on a dangerous course leading to further repression and further threats to democracy.

We urge an immediate return to constitutional government in Guatemala. We urge that this be done through legal, constitutional, and peaceful means. Guatemala only stands to lose by continuing on its present course.

Today, we are suspending the following aid programs:

* Economic support funds (cash transfers to the government);

* Military education and training programs, deployments for training, and joint military exercises;

* Police training;

* Economic development project assistance and PL 480 food aid, which is channeled through the government.

Aid for humanitarian, environmental, and other projects provided to private organizations in Guatemala will continue.

We reject President Serrano's assertion that his actions will contribute to the fight against narcotrafficking. They will only make cooperation more difficult. As a result, we are reviewing our counter-narcotics cooperation with the Government of Guatemala.

We note that trade benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) cannot be maintained in a country where labor rights are not respected. Unless democracy is restored in Guatemala, GSP benefits are likely to be withdrawn.

We will monitor closely Guatemala's commitment to democracy and take that into account as the U.S. casts its vote on loans to Guatemala from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Secretary Christopher

Statement before the Organization of American States (OAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Guatemala, Washington, DC, June 3, 1993.

Mr. Chairman, Mr. Secretary, fellow Foreign Ministers, and friends: First, Mr. President, I want to congratulate you on your election as President of this meeting. I also want to give great credit to our Secretary General and the other distinguished members of the mission who traveled to Guatemala. They expressed our unswerving commitment, the commitment of this organization to the restoration of democracy, and I know that we are all grateful to them for doing so.

The events of this past week teach an important lesson for our hemisphere. When democracy is at risk, we must rush to its defense immediately and strongly. When we do, and when the people of the nation affected rush to its defense as well, the defenders of democracy prevail. The prompt, unequivocal, and effective condemnation by the nations of the Western Hemisphere is a strong warning signal for the future to those in the region who might seek to derail democracy.

President Serrano's actions of May 25 did not stand. They met a firm response from the people of Guatemala and from the entire inter-American community. The United States and other nations suspended bilateral assistance and placed trade relations under review; the OAS quickly called for the meeting of Foreign Ministers that we are holding today; the Presidents of Central America convened an emergency meeting in San Salvador. The people and the institutions of Guatemala spanning the political spectrum rallied to the defense of their hard-won democracy.

Now President Serrano himself has left office. Many questions remain, but we hope that Guatemala is on the path to restoring constitutional democracy.

These events would not have been possible if the inter-American community, through the OAS, had not taken an historic, unanimous decision in Santiago in June of 1991 to come collectively to democracy's defense--whenever and wherever it is threatened in our hemisphere.

Still, Mr. President, it is premature to claim victory. Events continue to unfold in Guatemala. Let there be no doubt about the resolve of the United States and the inter-American community. There must be a full and immediate restoration of constitutional democracy and basic human rights. Unless and until democracy is fully restored, Guatemala will find itself isolated.

Hence, we must remain vigilant and engaged. For the United States, there is nothing we wish to see more than the immediate restoration of constitutional democracy through legal, peaceful, and constitutional processes. Until that occurs, Mr. President, our aid will remain suspended--and we will weigh suspension of trade preferences under the GSP system as well as the Caribbean Basin Initiative.

Our organization must remain vigilant and engaged. We urge the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to ask the new Guatemalan authorities for authority to travel to Guatemala immediately to monitor and review the progress made in protecting human rights and restoring constitutional guarantees. The Unit for the Promotion of Democracy should also offer its cooperation.