Guatemala, Rebels Sign Truce in Norway
Guatemalan rebels and the government signed a cease-fire Wednesday that they hope will end Central America’s longest civil war, a 35-year conflict that has killed 140,000 people.
The cease-fire is one of three accords to be signed in Europe over six days, leading to a final peace pact signing Dec. 29 in Guatemala City.
“With this agreement we sign today, the weapons will be silenced forever,” rebel commander Rolando Moran said at Oslo City Hall.
Also signing the accord was Gustavo Porras, head of the Guatemalan presidential delegation that has been trying to negotiate an end to the war since meeting with the rebels in the Norwegian capital in 1990.
Among the 1,000 guests invited to Wednesday’s signing was Rigoberta Menchu, the Guatemalan Indian who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in the same building in 1992.
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