Sumpango, Guatemala – A mob burned a man and a woman to death Wednesday after accusing them of several child abductions in this predominantly Mayan town, where residents have long claimed that youngsters are snatched and the police do nothing.
Police dared not approach the mob of about 800 people surrounding the smoking bodies, which reeked of gasoline. Human rights officials and police were trying to question residents, but no one was talking, said Isidro Ramos, a police spokesman.
Jorge Luis Gil, a resident of the town, said church bells were rung to alert people that the man and woman suspected in numerous abductions had been found.
“When the alarm sounded today, the people went mad,” Gil said.
Crowds frequently take justice into their own hands throughout Guatemala, where officials estimate that more than 300 people, including several foreign tourists, have been killed in acts of vigilante justice since 1996.
