Anti-Conservation forces seem to be getting stronger in Guatemala, as seen in this attempt on the lives of two leaders of Tropico Verde. (click MORE for the full story)

GUATEMALA
Carlos Albacete Rosales (m)
Piedad Espinosa Albacete (f),
Co-directors of environmental organisation Green Tropic (Tropico Verde)

An attempt on the lives of two environmentalists has been
made in Guatemala City. Amnesty International believes that
their lives and those of other colleagues are in grave
danger.

Environmental activists Carlos Albacete Rosales and Piedad
Espinosa Albacete were the subjects of an apparent attempt
on their lives as they returned home from the La Aurora
National Airport in Guatemala City in a taxi on Wednesday 10
January 2007 at 12.20am.

As they approached their house in the area known as
Carretera a El Salvador, they saw a grey Volkswagen Golf
parked less than 1km from their house. The car pulled out
behind them and followed them until overtaking the taxi a
few metres further on and making a 180 degree turn in front
of them, partially blocking the road.

Four men got out of the car, drawing their handguns as they
did so. They were wearing black woollen hats and dark-
coloured bullet-proof vests, dressed in black clothing
similar to that used by the police but without the
identifying insignia. They stood in front of the taxi and
began to shoot at it. The taxi driver carried on forwards,
leaving the four men behind. They continued to shoot at the
taxi but did not pursue it any further.

Carlos Albacete was left slightly injured by broken glass,
as both the front windscreen and the rear passenger seat
window, on Carlos Albacete's side, were shattered by the
shots. Bullets were also left lodged in the taxi's bodywork,
in the passenger door on Carlo Albacete's side and in the
boot. When police arrived to investigate the incident they
allegedly failed to place the recovered bullets in evidence
bags, putting them directly in their pockets instead.

Both Carlos Albacete and Piedad Albacete work for the
Guatemalan environmental organisation Tropico Verde, and
have been the victims of previous attacks and acts of
intimidation. Following a series of verbal threats, Tropico
Verde's Peten office was forced to close for part of 2005
before re-opening in a more secure location. On 12 September
2006 at 11pm Carlos Albacete and Piedad Albacete's house was
allegedly shot at with machine gun fire. On 24 September a
gold-coloured vehicle with tinted windows parked outside
their house at 5.30am and allegedly kept it under
surveillance. On 13 November 2006 Carlos Albacete and a
colleague were allegedly watched by the four occupants of a
vehicle whilst on a visit with journalists to denounce the
usurpation of protected land in the Peten region. On 18 and
20 December an employee of Tropico Verde received two
telephone calls from relatives warning of persistent rumours
circulating in the Peten region that there would be an
attempt on the lives of Carlos Albacete and Piedad Albacete.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Tropico Verde is an environmental organisation which works
to protect the Mayan Biosphere Reserve (a nature reserve in
the Peten region). During the last four years Tropico Verde
has been active in denouncing cattle ranchers' and alleged
drug traffickers' usurpation of land inside the Reserve.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly
as possible, in Spanish or your own language:
- Expressing concern for the safety of Carlos Albacete,
Piedad Albacete and other members of their organisation;
- urging the authorities to order a thorough and independent
investigation into the attempt on the lives of Carlos
Albacete and Piedad Albacete, and into the threats and acts
of intimidation suffered by them and their organisation
previously, and to bring those responsible to justice;
- reminding the authorities of their obligations to
recognize the legitimacy of the activities of human rights
defenders and their right to carry out their activities
without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in
the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of
Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and
Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental
Liberties.

APPEALS TO:

Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor's Office:
Fiscal General de la Republica y Jefe del Ministerio Publico
Lic. Juan Luis Florido
15 avenida 15-16
Zona 1, Barrio Gerona, 8vo. nivel
Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: +502 2411 9124
Salutation: Dear Attorney General/Estimado Sr. Fiscal General

Vice-President of the Republic:
Vicepresidente de la Republica
Sr. Eduardo Stein Barillas
Casa Presidencial, 6a. Avenida 4-18, Zona 1
Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: +502 2253 0801
Salutation: Dear Mr. Vicepresident/Estimado Sr. Vicepresidente

COPIES TO:
Human Rights Defenders Protection Unit:
Unidad de Proteccion de Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos
Movimiento Nacional de Derechos Humanos
1 Avenida 0-11, Zona 2
Colonia Lo de Bran
Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: + 502 2232 2651 (if someone answers say ''tono de fax por favor'')

and to diplomatic representatives of Guatemala accredited to
your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the
International Secretariat, or your section office, if
sending appeals after 26 February.