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SV Army troops parading past eh Presidential Palace in Guatemala City.
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SV General Romeo Lucas garcia and other army officers saluting soldiers from Presidential Palace balcony.
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GV & SV General Lucas watching naval personnel marching past Presidential Palace.
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GV Army troops in camouflage uniforms marching past Palace.
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GV Helicopters flying overhead.
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SV & CU Heavy artillery and troops past Palace as crowd look on.
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SV General Lucas shakes hands with armed forces officers at military barracks.
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SV General Lucas on podium at military barracks.
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SV General Lucas places cap of General on head of his brother. (unnamed) (2 SHOTS)
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The military government of Guatemala, faced with a rising tide of political violence, is stepping up recruitment to its armed forces. On Monday (30 June), all three services were on display at a parade in Guatemala City.

SYNOPSIS: The army is some thirteen thousand strong at present, and made up of conscripts. Military service for two years is compulsory. On Armed Forces day, it led the parade past the President, General Romeo Lucas Garcia and members of his government. Then came the Navy: it was first formed 21 years ago, and its total strength is only about 400 officers and men.

The army, together with the national police, bear the brunt of the task of dealing with political unrest. Killings by assassination squads and guerrilla groups of right and left has reached the proportions of an underground civil war. Amnesty international believe that the violence and the repression of its, have cost the lives of between 50 and 60-thousand people in the past ten years.

General Lucas was elected President two years ago. he promised social reform and held out the prospect of an eventual return to civilian rule. But a further increase in violence put an end to any hope of this. After the parade, the President promoted seven colonels to the rank of general. One of them was his own brother.