Why Alta Verapaz?

Prensa Libre has why President Colom selected Alta Verapaz for a state of siege this past weekend.  Colom agreed that his government could just as easily have targeted San Marcos, Petén, Zacapa or Izabal. 

However, it was the overwhelming presence of the Zetas in Alta Verapaz that pushed it to the top of the list.

“En Alta Verapaz, la presencia de los Zetas es fuerte. Precisamente por eso, y para optimizar mejor el mecanismo de poder allanar, capturar y confinar personas sin orden judicial, era importante”, refirió el gobernante.

From reading Siglo XXI, it sounds more like Alta Verapaz was chosen first and operations in the other departments are to come.  They are also "candidates."

Hemispheric Brief has more links on the recent developments.  However, I just want to add that the shooting of seven people in a bar in La Libertad was in the Peten, not Alta Verapaz.