Update on Casa Quivira--Friday, August 24

All of the kids were moved out of Casa Quivira late last night in the pouring rain. No one knows where the government took them.

Here's today's article from the Boston Globe.

And here's the latest press release from the director of Casa Quivira:

PRESS STATEMENT
24 August 2007

All 35 Children in Casa Quivira under the Intervention of the The Guatemalan President's Office for Social Welfare (Secretaria de Bienestar Social de la Presidencia, SBSP), have been removed from the Casa Quivira Home.

Whereabouts and Wellbeing of Nine (9) Children earlier Removed from Casa Quivira by the SBSP continues to be unknown.

Late in the night last night under pouring rain the remaining 35 children in the care of Casa Quivira in Antigua, Guatemala were removed by The Guatemalan President's Office for Social Welfare (Secretaria de Bienestar Social de la Presidencia, SBSP). Casa Quivira attorneys will file motions today requesting that the judge recently assigned the case, Roxana Mena confirm that her office issued the order and indicate why the children were transferred and to where. After the final vehicle transferring the children left Casa Quivira late last night SBSP personnel with the assistance of the National Police forced the CQ staff nannies and nurses out of the home and into the late, raining night. Byron Alvarado, identifying himself as an advisor to the SBSP, threatened CQ staff that if they remained in the home he would see to it that they be linked to the crimes committed by Casa Quivira. To date, no formal charges have been leveled against CQ.

Attorneys for Casa Quivira were present and immediately appealed to the Juzgado de Paz in Antigua only to be told that the judge of the Juzgado de Paz was not available. Luis Quiroa, one of Casa Quivira's attorneys who accompanied the nannies and nurses to the Juzgado de Paz to give their declarations states that he was told by the officer on duty "the Judge is in Guatemala City and is tired of hearing your complaints." After closing the door in their face they were left standing in the rain.

Casa Quivira attorneys will immediately file petitions this morning in the appropriate courts insisting that they be informed of the current whereabouts and wellbeing of each child removed last night and the nine previously removed to an unnamed hospital, and that an explanation be offered as to why the children were transferred last night.

Clifford Phillips
Director
Casa Quivira