The van, used in a number of kidnappings and murders of more than twelve people, was traced to one of the sections of the Police Department. Shortly after his return to the police was announced, Caballeros stated in an interview that he intended to increase the number of police officers on active duty. Most of the national police who are stationed as guards at embassies and other institutions, as well as those who work as personal bodyguards, will be assigned to patrol the streets, according to the new police chief's plan. Guatemala Immersed in Poverty Recent statistics reveal that 87 percent of the Guatemalan population lives in extreme poverty, according to Social Democratic analyst Gabriel Aguilera. Many popular organizations have pointed out that the economic measures implemented throughout the Cerezo administration, which were intended to raise funds for the state at short notice, have caused drastic rises in the cost of living.
Sources add that no parallel measures have been taken to protect consumers.
He said that protests and demands from the popular sector have been ignored, and that the development process Cerezo claims the country is undergoing only benefits the economically powerful. Insolvency of Guatemalan State Congressman Hermes Marroquin, of the Christian Democratic party, said that the Guatemalan state has reached a point of insolvency that prevents it from meeting national and international payments. The Guatemalan state expenditures for 1990 total 3,600,000,000 quetzales. This time the rebels will meet representatives of private enterprise. In May the CNR moderated a meeting between the URNG and delegates from the Guatemalan political parties.