Guatemala City, September 10 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Former Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina on Wednesday accused the United States of being involved in steps that led to what he described to be a “soft coup” against him, and which landed him in jail due to allegations that he is the head of the corruption scandal known as “La Linea” or the The Line.

The former head of state accused the United States of exerting pressure on the a United Nations investigating commission to involve him in the scandal, which prompted massive protests demanding his resignation and forcing many cabinet ministers and high officials to step down.

The Line refers to a phone hotline used by importers to avoid paying customs duties in exchange for bribes, which were then funneled into the private accounts of government officials.
    
Perez Molina finally bowed to pressure last week and resigned as president, but only after the Guatemalan congress voted in favor of stripping him of his immunity to face trial for corruption. Immediately after, a judge ordered a travel ban on the former president and then a warrant for his arrest was issued.
     
The British news agency said that President Barack Obama began imposing conditions on a plan to boost the economies of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Obama reportedly told Perez Molina that if he didn't approve extending the mandate of the CICIG that Guatemala would not get any of the funds linked to the US$20-billion plan to increase jobs, infrastructure and boost the economy in order to reduce migration to the United States.

Perez Molina also recently revealed that Washington and even President Obama himself opposed his proposal to decriminalize drugs in the Central American region, and that they boycotted a meeting in 2012, when his plan was going to be discussed by the presidents of the area.

The former head of state also insisted Wednesday that he is innocent, and added that the steps leading up to his resignation and detention mirrored steps of a “soft coup.”

He told CNN that the case against him is politically motivated, saying it's no coincidence that they forced him out of government when he was preparing to kick out of Guatemala the U.N. Commission.