Jorge Carpio Nicolle, founder of the Union de Centro Nacional (UCN), owner and publisher of El Grafico newspaper, and cousin and political ally of Ramiro de Leon Carpio was shot dead on 3 July 1993. Three of his companions also died, Juan Vicente Villacorta, a member of UCN’s political council, Alejandro Avila (Arriola), UCN campaign coordinator, and Rigoberto Gonzalez, a member of Carpio Nicolle’s security guard. Sidney Shaw, the 16- year-old nephew of Carpio Nicolle was shot in the legs. The attack took place in El Quiche department in an area under the jurisdiction of Military Base 20, which has been the scene of clashes between the army and the armed opposition in recent months. A witness said that when masked men stopped his car, their original motive may have been robbery.
