Proposal for anti-crime tax to strengthen Guatemala's weak judicial system sparks debate

Published November 10, 2015

A proposal to establish a temporary anti-crime tax is drawing mixed opinions in Guatemala, where the justice system is so weak that a U.N. anti-impunity commission is lending a hand.

A group of experts suggested Tuesday the country institute a transitory tax to strengthen domestic prosecutors' offices. At present about 95 percent of crimes go unpunished in Guatemala.

Ivan Velasquez is the head of the U.N. commission. Velasquez says a similar tax was imposed to finance the 1996 peace accords that ended 36 years of civil war.

But Javier Zepeda heads the country's leading industry association, and he opposes any new taxes right now.

The country's anti-crime and anti-corruption forces are riding high after forcing the resignation of former president Otto Perez Molina for his links to a corruption scandal.

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