The Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF), the Washington Office for Latin America (WOLA) and the American Society of International Law (ASIL) organized a dialogue on May 14, 2013 in Washington DC, to inform and discuss the most recent developments in the genocide trial against Efrain Rios Montt. The event specifically addressed the main obstacles faced by the victims, the essential role of national courts in the prosecution of international crimes, and the meaning of the case for strengthening the justice system and rule of law.

The Attorney General of Guatemala, Claudia Paz y Paz spoke about the role played by that institution in building up the case against the former dictator and expressed her confidence in national judicial system and truth prevail. Experts Naomi Roht-Arriaza, Professor of the University of California Hastings College of the Law and Jo -Marie Burt, Professor at George Mason University and WOLA senior fellow, explained the details of this complex case and shared their analysis on the impact of this process for Guatemala and the region, being the first genocide trial against a former president. They highlighted the importance of victim’s testimonies, especially those of the Ixil Mayan women whom had never been heard by a court. The speakers expressed their concerns about the political pressures that was being exerted that threatened the independence of judges in charge of the case and emphasized that the international community should remain alert and vigilant. The panel was moderated by DPLF’s Executive Director, Katya Salazar.

Efrain Rios Montt, de facto president of Guatemala from 1982 to 1983, and José Mauricio Rodríguez, head of military intelligence at that time, were charged of genocide of at least 1,800 indigenous Maya Ixil committed between 1982 and 1983. After a long and messy process, on May 10, 2013, Rios Montt was found guilty and sentenced to 80 years in prison. Just a week after this landmark ruling, on May 20, the Constitutional Court issued a ruling that nullified the effects of the conviction and returned the trial of the early oral stage. This decision by the highest constitutional body and multiple remedies still pending raises new questions about the trial future.

For more information about this trial visit: http://www.riosmontt-trial.org/