Sometimes on school visits, I talk about Rigoberta Menchu and specifically the lawsuit she has been involved with over the past decade to seek justice for what happened at the Spanish embassy in Guatemala in 1980. Last week, a verdict was announced in this case.
From the Guatemalan Human Rights Commission’s news feed:
Former police chief Pedro García Arredondo was found guilty of orchestrating the 1980 burning of the embassy. Arredondo was sentenced to 40 years in prison for crimes against humanity, murder and attempted murder. He received an additional 50 years for the murder of two students after the massacre occurred — for a total of 90 years in prison.
If you aren’t familiar with what happened at the embassy, the GHRC has a great explanation of the case here.
From their site:
On January 31, 1980, a group of Maya K’iche’ farmers and their allies, protesting assassinations and disappearances in the department of El Quiché, took over the Spanish Embassy in Guatemala City. The occupation was the last in a series of unsuccessful actions to raise awareness about the repression and violence that indigenous communities were facing. In response, security forces encircled the building and began an assault, quickly occupying the first and third floors — despite the ambassador’s warnings that to do so violated international law. The attack ended with the burning of the embassy and the death of 37 people.
These are important steps to take in the journey of justice and peace. I hope we see more steps like this in the near future.