US embassy cable - 03GUATEMALA2255

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 002255 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2013 
TAGS: PINR, PGOV, MOPS, GT 
SUBJECT: RIOS SOSA SUDDENLY RESIGNS 
 
Classified By: Robert E. Copley for reason 1.5 (d). 
 
1. (U) General Enrique Rios Sosa, Army Chief of Staff and son 
of Presidential Candidate Efrain Rios Montt, retired without 
warning or explanation from the Guatemalan military on 
Monday, September 1.  He has been replaced by Deputy Chief of 
Staff General Fredy Raul Ramirez Giron.  Brigadier General 
Ramirez is widely respected within the officer corps and, 
reportedly, would have been Chief of Staff much sooner except 
for the political connections of Rios Sosa.  Embassy name 
checks reveal no derogatory information on Ramirez. 
 
2. (C) Several EmbOffs spoke at length with Rios Sosa during 
a reception on August 28.  At that time, Rios Sosa gave no 
indication he was considering retirement.  The lack of an 
official explanation for the sudden and quiet departure has 
fueled the rumor mill, with sympathizers portraying Rios 
Sosa's decision as designed to distance the military from the 
elections for the good of the institution.  Others report 
that the FRG needed to deny the opposition a chance to cry 
foul if Rios Montt wins.  Still others speculate that the 
steady drumbeat of corruption allegations against Rios Sosa 
reached the point that Rios Montt concluded his son had 
become a liability and allowed his removal from office.  MOD 
Moran told the DATT that he had suggested to President 
Portillo that he remove Rios Sosa due to Rios Sosa's alleged 
involvement in the multi-million dollar military pension fund 
scandal and press reports of military involvement in violent 
demonstrations in support of Rios Montt on July 24-25. 
 
3. (C) Comment: Rios Sosa's departure was welcomed by much of 
the anti-government media.  His role as Army Chief of Staff 
during this heated electoral campaign was seen by many as 
supporting his father's controversial presidential candidacy. 
 His departure will lower anxieties over possible military 
involvement in support of the FRG.  We will continue to 
report on Rios Sosa's departure as more information becomes 
available. 
HAMILTON