Global Courant 2023-05-26 01:00:42
Bullying cases have captured the country’s attention in recent weeks because two of them ended tragically. The events occurred in public establishments in Retalhuleu and Suchitepéquez.
The family of Aron Manases Alonzo Cortez, a 13-year-old student, denounced that he died after suffering blows to his body and neck on May 3. They filed a complaint with the Public Ministry (MP).
The MP assures that the case is being investigated by the Retalhuleu District Attorney’s Office and for now they cannot make progress so as not to hinder the investigations.
Alonzo Cortez was in the sixth grade of primary school at the official mixed school of the canton of Peru in the Manuel de Jesús neighborhood, zone 4 of Retalhuleu.
The mother suspects her son was bullied at school weeks before he died. She recounted that since April 20, her son had told her that she had problems with another student. She denounced him. The teachers denied the facts, and left everything in the hands of the MP.
The most recent case occurred in Mazatenango, Suchitepéquez. It is about the death of Celso Enrique Girón Ramos, a 17-year-old student who, according to his family, died from beatings inflicted on him by members of a group of former students who are called “the Grandparents.”
Girón Ramos was studying his 4th baccalaureate in lathes at the “George Kerschenteiner” Industrial Technical Institute in Mazatenango. The District Attorney’s Office has two theories about his death.
The first, that he jumped over a wall and hit himself at that moment. The second, that unknown persons entered the establishment and took him out to beat him to death.
The family assured that they have already presented the names of the possible executioners to the MP and the PNC. They don’t believe it was an accident.
However, these two cases are not unique, nor the latest. In history, others have been told that have occurred in public and private establishments, but despite the fact that on March 25, 2022, Congress approved Decree 19 – 2022, “Law against school harassment, known as bullying”, this continues without being a crime
The purpose of the law is to declare May 2 of each year as the “National Day Against School Bullying,” which includes cyberbullying. In addition, it leaves it to the Ministry of Education to “coordinate actions with public entities and, if necessary, with private entities that are aware of the subject, so that the information generated contributes to strengthening any action aimed at counteracting bullying.”
“The Ministry of Education and all educational centers, both public and private, must promote all kinds of actions and activities aimed at raising awareness, prevention and eradication of bullying, providing texts, brochures, didactic material, workshops and training, with the purpose of eradicating this scourge.
The numbers
A national statistical report generated as of May 23 by the Department of the Fiscal and Technical Information System (Sift) of the MP reveals that from 2021 to 2023 the twenty most reported crimes are theft, threats, aggravated theft, extortion and robbery.
This does not segregate whether the cases occur in public private educational centers, but rather at a general level.
In addition, abuse against minors, aggravated robbery, misappropriation and retention, sexual assault and minor injuries.
Also special cases of fraud, coercion, own fraud, theft of mobile terminal equipment (cell phones or tablets) and rape.
And the list closes with offenses against people (481-484 Penal Code), material falsehood, trespassing, abuse of authority and ideological falsehood.
The Ministry of Education only registers in 2023, 14 complaints throughout the country, without specifying a specific department.
Bullying: signs to identify it and what to do if your child is a victim of bullying
Incidence by departments
In the case of the two departments where these two cases have been filed, the complaints reported by the MP between 2021 and 2023 exceed 100. Suchitepéquez, for example, registers 13 complaints in 2021; 34 in 2022 and 15 in 2023.
The ten crimes that are reported the most are theft, 13; aggravated robbery, 7; aggravated robbery, 6; threats, 5; violence against women, 5; robbery, 3; mistreatment against minors, 2; embezzlement by subtraction, 2; sexual assault, 2; and theft of mobile terminal equipment, 2.
While in Retalhuleu the cases add up to 35 in the three years. 11 in 2021; 19 in 2022 and 5 in 2023.
The most denounced with theft, 7; aggravated robbery, 5; aggravated robbery, 4; violence against women, 3; threats, 2; duress, 2; own scam, 2; contravention of sanitary measures, 1, abuse against minors, 1 and Misappropriation and retention, 1.
The five departments where the most complaints are filed are Guatemala, Alta Verapaz, Quetzaltenango, Escuintla and Chimaltenango.
In the case of Guatemala, the ten crimes for which the most complaints are filed are extortion. Between 2021 and 2023 there are 81 cases registered by the MP.
It is followed by cases of robbery, threats, aggravated robbery, abuse against minors, misappropriation and retention, robbery, sexual assault, aggravated robbery and cell phone theft.
In Alta Verapaz, the top ten complaints are made up of threats, misappropriation and retention, theft, mistreatment of minors, special cases of fraud, aggravated robbery, violence against women, sexual assault, minor injuries, rape and own fraud. .
Bullying returned to the classroom with the return to face-to-face, there are 26 complaints in the PDH
In Quetzaltenango they are theft, own fraud, threats, abuse against minors, robbery, misappropriation and retention, aggravated robbery, minor injuries, defamation and coercion.
In Escuintla, theft, aggravated robbery, robbery, aggravated robbery, threats, theft of mobile terminal equipment, rape, extortion, special cases of fraud and breach of duty (of officials) headed the list.
In Chimaltenango, more cases of aggravated robbery are reported, 18; aggravated robbery, 11; extortion, 9; theft, 8; violence against women, 3; mistreatment against minors, 3; threats, 3; duress, 2; breaking and entering, 2 and robbery, 2.
Complaints from 2021 to 2023
Theft 253 (89, 122, 42) Threats 198 (65, 84, 49) Aggravated robbery 144 (45, 79, 20) Extortion 119 (39, 42, 38) Robbery 107 (41, 52, 14) Abuse against minors of age 98 (21, 44, 33) Aggravated robbery 89 (18, 48, 23) Misappropriation and retention 73 (38, 28, 7) Sexual assault 56 (16, 27, 13) Minor injuries 48 (12, 21, 15) Violence against women 47 (17, 21, 9) Special cases of fraud 42 (17, 23, 2) Coercion 42 (16, 18, 8) Own fraud 37 (12, 20, 5) Theft of mobile terminal equipment 31 (12, 9, 10) Violation 30 (9, 15, 6) Offenses against people 23 (5, 15, 3) Material falsehood 18 (9, 8, 1) Trespassing 17 (6, 5, 6) Abuse of authority 15 (5, 6, 4)
