Genocide trial suspended

Francisco Soto of the Center for Human Rights Legal Action (CALDH) and representatives of the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR) inform of the suspension in a press conference.
Graham Hunt

The highly anticipated genocide trial for General López Fuentes, scheduled to open today, has been suspended.

Please sign our online petition and take other actions to support the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR) and the Center for Human Rights Legal Action (CALDH), plaintiffs in the case.

Members of the AJR traveled from five different regions of rural Guatemala to be present for the opening of the case.  Waiting outside the courtroom, they were informed the trial was suspended due to an administrative failure to transfer a file from the Appellate Court to the presiding judge.

In statements to the press, both AJR representative Julia Cortéz and CALDH lawyer Francisco Soto maintained this is a strategy to further delay the legal process.  While the delay is disappointing, members of the AJR expressed they are more committed than ever to their cause.

A new trial date was set for October 3rd.

López Fuentes served as Army Chief of Staff under the de facto government of Efraín Ríos Montt and is the highest-ranking military official to be tried for acts of genocide committed during Guatemala’s 36-year civil war.  This is the first genocide case in Latin America to be tried in national courts.

Legal representative of the AJR, Julia Cortéz, expressed consternation over the suspension.
Graham Hunt