Guatemalan president Perez resigns - newspaper citing spokesman

LONDON (Reuters) - Guatemalan President Otto Perez has resigned, local newspaper El Periodico quoted his spokesman as saying on Thursday. "The president has submitted his resignation" to parliament, the newspaper quoted Jorge Ortega as saying in its online edition. On Wednesday a Guatemalan judge issued a detention order for Perez amid a graft scandal that has gutted his government and plunged Guatemala into chaos days before a presidential election. Perez had his immunity from prosecution stripped by lawmakers on Tuesday in a fast-moving climax to a crisis that has roiled Guatemala for months. The 64-year-old retired general was elected on a ticket to combat crime and corruption. (reporting by John Stonestreet; editing by Jane Barrett)