Cabinet resignations sped by Guatemalan President

Guatemalan President Efrain Rios Montt asked all his Cabinet ministers and other top government officials to submit their resignations by today (Dec. 15), a presidential spokesman said.

He said the move was aimed at giving General Rios Montt, who seized power in a bloodless military coup in March, a free hand in choosing a new government. Guatemalan ministers traditionally hand in their voluntary resignations before the end of the year to give the president freedom to choose a new Cabinet if he so wishes. But this time the tradition was converted into an obligation.