On 13 May, the Guatemalan Congress held a vote that can only be described as surreal. They voted to deny that genocide took place during the country’s civil war from 1960-1996, which left 250,00 people, mainly indigenous Mayans, dead or disappeared. The vote was apparently aimed at “national reconciliation”. Actually it was also meant to lessen the pressure on former dictator Rios Montt, whose trial for genocide and crimes against humanity during his 1982-1983 rule is scheduled to reconvene next January.

Far from bringing about reconciliation, Congress’s vote “makes a mockery of the victims,” claimed Benjamín Gerónimo, a representative of people bringing a trial against Montt. Congress, he added “wants to maintain impunity so that the truth is not known.” Continue reading →