U.S. sends dozens of military vehicles to Guatemala despite alleged misuse

Source: Washington Post

U.S. sends dozens of military vehicles to Guatemala despite alleged misuse



Firecrackers explode near a supporter of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales’s decision to shut down a U.N.-sponsored anti-corruption commission. (Moises Castillo/Associated Press)
By Mary Beth Sheridan December 6 at 3:16 PM

MEXICO CITY — The Trump administration has donated dozens of new military vehicles to the Guatemalan government, just weeks after authorities in the Central American nation were accused of using similar U.S.-supplied Jeeps to intimidate international anti-corruption investigators and American diplomats.

Thirty-eight J8 Jeeps were turned over to the Guatemalan Defense Ministry on Oct. 11 for use in anti-narcotics operations, according to a Pentagon spokesman, Johnny I. Michael Jr.

Rep. Eliot L. Engel (N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and several other Democrats wrote Thursday to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that “we were disturbed to learn” about the shipment, according to the letter, obtained by The Washington Post.

“It is difficult to understand how such a transfer would be made without a resolution of the threatening action by the Guatemalan government against U.S. personnel on Aug. 31,” said the letter.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/us-sends-dozens-of-military-vehicles-to-guatemala-despite-alleged-misuse/2018/12/06/08bdd91c-f898-11e8-8642-c9718a256cbd_story.html