Saturday, July 10, 2004

Illinois Congressman Marries into Crime Family

Ha! Not what you think! You expected something like "US Rep. to Wed Giancana Heir", didn't you?

Nope. Maybe I should have specified "war crime" or "crime against humanity" or "torture" or "mass murder".

Office of Congressman Jerry Weller (R - IL) - Jul 06, 2004 - “After 46 years of searching, I am thrilled to have found my best friend and soul mate, Zury Rios Sosa,” Weller said on the eve of his 47th birthday. “From the moment I met her, I realized I discovered this most incredible woman. Our love knows no boundaries.”
US Department of State - Sep 2003 - Rios Montt's brief presidency was probably the most violent period of the 36-year internal conflict, which resulted in about 200,000 deaths of mostly unarmed indigenous civilians. Although leftist guerrillas and right-wing death squads also engaged in summary executions, forced disappearances, and torture of noncombatants, the vast majority of human rights violations were carried out by the Guatemalan military and the PACs they controlled.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) - Jul 09, 2004 - ...should Rep. Weller continue to serve on the House International Relations Committee and the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee when he is marrying into the family of Efrain Rios Montt, whose tenure the State Department declared "the most violent period" of Guatemala's 36 year Civil War?

...Tens of thousands of Guatemalans were killed in 1982 and 1983 after Rios Montt seized power in a coup and declared a "scorched earth" policy against leftist rebels. Rios Montt's bloody reign is still very relevant to American foreign policy. Rep. Weller's fiancé, Zury Rios Montt, delivered fiery speeches at rallies on behalf of her father's presidential campaign last year and he is currently under investigation for war crimes. [Chicago Tribune, 7/09/04]