Guatemalans live in fear again as drug gangs move in

[struggle4progress]

By Mica Rosenberg and Mike McDonald

COBAN, Guatemala | Sun Oct 2, 2011 8:25pm EDT

(Reuters) - Fifteen years after the end of a brutal civil war in Guatemala that sent tens of thousands of people fleeing to Mexico, refugees are again camping at the border.

But these days they are running from a new kind of conflict -- the occupation by drug traffickers of large swathes of Guatemala's territory.

Mexican cartels working with local gangs control around 40 percent of Guatemala, military experts say, a massive challenge for a new president set to be elected in November and a serious worry for Mexico and the United States.

Both candidates in the election run-off -- a former general and a congressman from the largely lawless north -- plan to beef up security forces to regain control although some worry the problem has already gone too far ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/03/us-guatemala-drugs-idUSTRE79202P20111003

[roody]

1. Legalize drugs.