Guatemala News Update: October 13-17

Process for the Election of Judges in Guatemala in Question

At least 80 actions have been filed with the Constitutional Court related to the process of selecting the magistrates for Guatemala’s Supreme Court and appeals courts.

The United Nations, the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office and several national and international organizations have requested that the Constitutional Court (CC) order a repeat of the process from the very beginning, alleging that there were various violations of the law which governs the process. The CC also ordered that until it is able to rule on the actions, the appointment of the new magistrates is suspended, and the existing magistrates will remain in their positions.

In addition, one judge who was appointed to a court of appeals, Claudia Escobar, resigned in protest claiming that she had been pressured by a member of Congress, Gudy Rivera, to rule in favor of Vice President Roxana Baldetti and the ruling Patriot Party in exchange for the appointment to the court. In response, the CICIG requested the Rivera’s immunity from prosecution be removed.

In a separate process, two lawyers have been charged with abuse of power with the Third Appeals Court Judge, Erick Gustavo Santiago de Leon. The Public Prosecutors Office alleges that the attorneys offered Santiago de Leon Q16 million to reduce a fine for a company from Q93 million to Q3 million. Meanwhile, the magistrate was reelected to the appeals court.

News Update: October 12-18

Communities celebrate Day of Resistance and Dignity of Indigenous Peoples

As an alternative to Columbus day, throughout Guatemala, various indigenous groups and organizations marched to demand that the government respect their rights in relation to mining, hydroelectric dams, and agricultural reform, once again expressing opposition to resource extraction development projects that only benefit a small sector of society. An article from La Hora highlights the inequalities indigenous peoples still suffer in Guatemala.

Two EXMINGUA employees convicted for threatening journalists

Juan José Reyes Carrera and retired military lieutenant Pablo Silas Orozco Cifuentes were sentenced to two years in prison for threatening five reporters in 2012. Both men are former employees of the Tambor mine owned by EXMINGUA, the Guatemalan subsidiary of U.S. company Kappes, Cassiday & Associates. The jail time will be suspended on the condition that both men pay a fine of about $2,000.

Ten women killed on October 12

10 women died in three separate violent attacks last Saturday, making it arguably the most violent day against women this year. So far nearly 600 women have been killed this year, a 16% increase since this time last year. Of these murders, 68.75% have been with a firearm. Since January 2012 the Public Prosecutor’s office has heard 493 cases of femicide and issued 109 sentences.