Guatemala court removes attorney general amid corruption allegations

By Gustavo Valdes, CNN

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Conrado Reyes was appointed to the post on May 23
He was accused by head of U.N. commission of ties to organized crime
Constitutional Court cited those allegations to oust him
President will now pick a new AG from list

(CNN) -- Guatemala's Constitutional Court removed the country's new attorney general Thursday night -- just days after the president appointed him to the post.

On Monday, the head of a U.N. commission tasked with fighting crime in Guatemala resigned and accused Conrado Reyes of corruption and ties to organized crime.

Reyes refuted those allegations in an interview with CNN, hours before he was removed from office. But he said he will accept the court's ruling.

President Alvaro Colom said the court's main justifications in removing Reyes were the corruption allegations and the public outcry that followed. He likened the fallout to a "judicial earthquake."

Reyes had been appointed as attorney general by the president on May 23.

A new list of candidates will now be handed to the president.