In a letter released by the Board of Directors of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the University of San Carlos de Guatemala, Usacit is mentioned that the Association of Medical Students notified them that they had received an email in which, anonymously, they threatened to “place fake bombs next week.”
The document mentions that, in order to protect the physical and mental well-being of all members of said faculty, be they students, teachers, administrative, technical or service personnel, the Board of Directors decided to implement the following actions:
- Suspend face-to-face academic activities at the facilities of the Faculty of Medical Sciences from May 23 to 27. (At the Metropolitan University Center (CUM)
- Suspend face-to-face administrative activities until further notice.
- Suspend the partial face-to-face exams scheduled for this week, which will be rescheduled.
- Suspend during this week the permit to use the CUM parking lot for medical students who carry out nearby hospital activities.
- Report the threat to the Public Ministry and notify the Ministry of the Interior so that they carry out the corresponding investigations and provide the pertinent security measures.
“The Board of Directors will be attentive and will follow up on these threats of violence and if necessary, new provisions will be taken,” the statement said.
Last Friday, the students of that faculty called for a demonstration and a walk to reject the process of election to rector that took place on May 14 and that gave as winner the dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Walter Mazariegosbetween accusations of fraud.
Teachers and students from other academic units joined the medical students’ call, who that day walked from the CUM headquarters to the USAC central campus, to demand that the elections be repeated.
Alfredo Moreno, president of the Faculty of Medical Sciences Faculty of the USAC, commented that actions such as these threats are part of the history of the USAC, because they compromise interests or say things that are not convenient for someone.
“He pointed out that the authorities of the Faculty of Medical Sciences have already taken administrative actions by closing the CUM administratively for two days while the complaints are filed in the state entities and also the activities were suspended all week to protect the students.
“Whether it is true or not, they cannot afford to think that they are unfounded things or things to disturb, that is why it is better to protect students, especially members of the Student Association,” said Moreno.
Read also: Wálter Mazariegos: “The issue of governance is the threat that they are going to take”
He commented that before last Friday’s march, it was rumored that it was linked to other types of interests, which was not true, since it was a legitimate demonstration by students and teachers.
He recalled that the Sancarlista educational community is once morest the rector election process that gave Walter Mazariegos the winner, and said that what they are asking for are elections in accordance with the law and that if this person -Mazariegos- wins in another process that is guaranteed transparently, because it will be accepted.
