Guatemala congressman shot dead

Mr Pivaral is the second lawmaker to be killed since 2004

A Guatemalan congressman has been shot dead outside his party's headquarters in the capital, Guatemala City.

Police said the attack on Mario Pivaral was not part of a robbery. His party, opposition National Union of Hope, said the killing was politically motivated.

President Oscar Berger condemned Thursday's killing but said it was necessary to wait for the results of an inquiry to find out who was behind it.

Mr Pivaral is the second lawmaker to be assassinated in the country since 2004.

'Clear message'

Mr Pivaral was shot by two men on a motorcycle as he stepped outside his party's offices to answer a call on his mobile phone, witnesses were quoted as saying.

The gunmen had followed him from Congress and were lying in wait for him, fellow congressman Edgar Rodriguez said.

The party's general secretary, Eduardo Meyer, linked the killing to the presidential and congressional elections due next year.

"The fact that they killed him in front of the party [headquarters] is a very clear message on the eve of the elections," he said.

Mr Pivaral's killing came as President Berger launched a plan to get ex-soldiers to back police in their efforts to tackle organised crime and violent gangs.