SAN Salvador archdiocese has angrily dismissed claims that one of its priests was involved in a guerrilla attack on the home of the country's vice-president. "We give absolutely no credibility" to the accusation against Fr Daniel Sanchez, a Spanish priest working in one of the city's poorest barrios, the diocesan vicar-general said.
Vice-President Francisco Merino has said that he plans to begin legal action against Fr Sanchez after one of those arrested in the attack on his home named the priest as party to the raid.
"We know Fr Sanchez very well" said Fr Ricardo Uriostc, vicar-general in San Salvador. "We're certain that it would never have occurred to him to do something like that." The VicePresident had acted irresponsibly in accusing the priest, Fr Urioste said. "To publicly incriminate a person in this way" shows a lack of "forethought, caution and prudence," he said.
• In neighbouring Guatemala, the country's bishops' conference has accused the country's civilian president, Vinicio Cerezo, of blocking democracy. By failing to stand up to the army who arc the real power in Guatemala, the president had "erected obstacles to the possibility of realising an authentic democratic process," the bishops said.