Analysts: Singer's slaying shines spotlight on Guatemalan violence

(CNN) -- Analysts say the slaying of one of Latin America's best-known folk singers over the weekend shines a spotlight on problems with deep roots in Guatemala: violence, impunity and the pervasive presence of organized crime

"It shows how far these groups have infiltrated. ... It's a very large blow first of all to the country's image, and secondly to its government," said Miguel Castillo, a professor of political science at the University of Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala City.

Gunmen ambushed Argentinian folk singer Facundo Cabral when he was on his way to the airport in the nation's capital Saturday, authorities said. As investigators continued searching for suspects Monday, the high-profile shooting drew increasing attention throughout Latin America, where Cabral gained fame as a protest singer who pushed for peace.

"The Guatemalan people are quite shocked and outraged, and we have to face the situation like others we have faced in a country that is fighting to get out of this state of violence that has hit us so hard," Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom said in an interview Monday with Mexico's MVS Radio.

Corruption and violence are high in Guatemala, according to the United Nations, which created a committee in 2006 to investigate those issues there.

More than 200,000 people have been killed in Guatemala since 1970, mostly as a result of organized crime, drug-trade violence and a 36-year civil war that ended in 1996.

Violence in Guatemala drew international attention in May after investigators found the bodies of 27 dismembered and decapitated workers on a farm in a northern border province -- brutal evidence of what officials and analysts said is a dramatic spike in violence across the region as Mexican drug cartels expand their reach.

Colom Monday attributed Cabral's killing to "organized crime," telling MVS Radio that evidence indicated the Nicaraguan businessman driving him to the airport was the attackers' intended target.

But analyst Samuel Logan cautioned that in the run-up to Guatemala's September elections, government officials may have different motives in describing the situation.

"To say that this famous Argentine musician wasn't a target lends credence to the idea that Guatemala's a safe place to travel for musicians or just in general," said Logan, the managing director of Southern Pulse, an online information network focused on Latin America.

It's possible that hit-men targeted Cabral, Logan said.

"Groups like Los Zetas have killed people simply for the songs that they sung publicly. My question was, what did he sing? What was his playlist? ... It could have been just that simple," he added.

In recent weeks, Guatemalan officials have touted arrests of members of Los Zetas as a sign that they're cracking down on crime.

Cabral's killing is one of many indications that the government's efforts have seen limited results, Castillo said.

"The (criminal) organizations' structures have not been damaged. Yes, there are a few accomplishments, but the long-term impact isn't so large," he said.

Henry Brands, an assistant professor of public policy at Duke University who published an analysis of violence and politics in the Central American country last year, said Cabral's killing is "very striking."

"It makes people sit up and take note, but the fact is that this is really not a new phenomenon in Guatemala," he said.

Drug-fueled organized crime has had a strong presence in the Central American country for decades, he said.

"This is probably a depressingly familiar story for most Guatemalans. ...The single dominant theme of Guatemalan politics is citizen insecurity," Brands said. "The basic problem in Guatemala is that the crime is so deeply rooted in the social and institutional structures of the country that it's going to take a sort of exorcism to solve the problem."

Opinion: The violence, corruption and impunity in Guatemala, our home, is almost irreversible. "The basic problem in Guatemala is that the crime is so deeply rooted in the social and the institutional structures of the country that it's goint to take a sort of exorcism to solve the problem". These are very crude but true words. We are so hopeless, so due and negative that we don't see a happy ending to our nation. The criminals have installed in our country in such a cynical way that they coexist with us. How many of us has a "narco" neighbor, a classmate, even our friend, our mate and inclusive someone of our family or our very own parents. And it is not thefault of State that is corrupt, it isn't because the police is also not transparent and confable, no, it is not that, maybe the fourty percent of the fault has to take it our Government, but the remaining percent is because we, the Guatemalans let it happen, it is because we do and did not defend our belongings, and I'm not talking about your house, your backpack or your car; I'm talking about our land, the sacred land God gave us to keep and care. Caring for Guatemala is not only watch when our soccer team is playing and put in our BBM or Fb status that we're supporting our team, NO, that's a little affection to your home, it's more, like first not talking that Guatemala is a "mier@" or that Guate has the worst things like the "indios", whose inferior inteligence make them fool and stubborn, or that nothing and nobody is going to change the critical state that is passing the nation.

Our tongue, believe it or not has a great power, it can make the things we say happen, it can harm 20 times bigger a person for years, (sometimes a life) than the bruises caused by hits that disvanished in days, that's why they say us "be careful with your mouth". Now, can you tell me how many Guatemalans are talking bad of their country? And what if it is the opposite? What if Guatemalans start to talk of their loved nation and all the beauties and greatness that we have, of our dreams and proyects we are planning to do in our land? Do you imagine that you don't have to leave of your country to make your dream come true? Guatemala having the best education worldwide, the best levels of prosperity, development and equality, Guatemala being an emergent country? Have you ever talk about building the perfect country for you and your felllows? One of my favorite phrases is this, I have forgotten who was the writer: "If you want to be the change, be the change". Let's be the change of our "remarked and deeply sad destiny", let's be reminded as the ones who made their jobs well.

Second, big things started with little things. Like my Social Studies teacher said me once, "Portillo didn't started stealing billions of quetzales, he started cheating in the exams, blackmailing the authorities to not put him an infraction when he violated the rules, as when he was demanded and knew he would loose". If we are irresponsible with our duties, like homework or house chores, if we cheat in exams or steal things from our classmates or the cafeteria, how can we say our Government is a s@ if we are starting like they did and doing the SAME things that they do?

So let me finish dear readers, with this phrase I admire by one of the most famous USA Presidents, John F. Kennedy, don't think what your country can do for you, think what can you do for your country. Let's think how can we be useful to our nation, how can we help it and support it, instead of being a barriel and an obstacle.