Military Zone 21 – CREOMPAZ
On January 6, 2016, 14 former military officers were arrested on charges of forced disappearance and crimes against humanity based on evidence uncovered at the CREOMPAZ military center in Cobán, Alta Verapaz. Now a United Nations peacekeeper training base, CREOMPAZ (Regional Training Command for Peacekeeping Operations) operated as a detention and clandestine execution center during Guatemala’s Internal Armed Conflict, when it was known as Military Zone 21. Between 2012 and 2015, the Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala (FAFG) carried out 14 exhumations at CREOMPAZ and found 558 human remains in fourteen graves, representing the largest known case of forced disappearance in Latin America.
Spanning crimes committed from 1981 – 1988, the Military Zone 21 (CREOMPAZ) case sets the record in Guatemala, not only for the number of disappeared victims, but also for the time span over which the crimes were committed. Among the high-ranking individuals indicted is Manuel Benedicto Lucas García, who served as former Army Chief of Staff during his brother’s 1978-1982 military dictatorship, and who is currently imprisoned for his role in crimes against humanity committed against the Molina Theissen family. The trial is an important step in the legal trajectory seeking justice for crimes against humanity and represents more than 30 years of hard work by survivor organizations.
In-depth NISGUA reports
The same people who carried out genocide in Nebaj were the same who carried out genocide in Plan de Sánchez and throughout Baja and Alta Verapaz. It’s important that the high- ranking military command are tried for these crimes.
Latest from our blog
📖 September Solidarity Update // Actualización Solidaria de Septiembre 📖
[Español abajo] September marks the month when Guatemala celebrates its independence—but for many communities, the promise of freedom remains unfulfilled. Indigenous People, environmental defenders, and social movements continue facing systemic racism, inequality, and criminalization. [...]
Serie de Entrevistas – Donde la Alegría se Encuentra con la Lucha: Festival Madre Tierra (Parte 2)
Parte 2: Resistencia Comunitaria y Construcción de Futuro Recordatorio de la primera parte En la primera entrega conocimos a Rafael y José del Instituto Básico "Nuevo Amanecer", quienes nos compartieron los orígenes y evolución [...]
Interview Series – Where Joy Meets Struggle: Mother Earth Festival (Part 2)
Part 2: Community Power, Building the Future Reminder of the first part In the first part of the interview, we met Rafael and José from the New Dawn Elementary School, who shared with us [...]
Parliament of the Xinka Peoples’ Statement: Standing United Against Disinformation / Comunicado del Parlamento del Pueblo Xinka: Unides Contra la Desinformación
Unofficial translation by the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA). You can find the original statement in Spanish further below. STATEMENT PARLIAMENT OF THE XINKA PEOPLE OF GUATEMALA TO THE GENERAL [...]
🌱 August Solidarity Update / Actualización Solidaria de Agosto 🌱
As August comes to a close in Guatemala, the canícula — the midsummer dry spell — gives way to the return of the rains. These waters are vital for the milpa, the traditional fields [...]
Perspectivas de les Acompañantes: Neoliberalismo y migración forzada – Violencia contra los Pueblos Indígenas de Guatemala
Internacionalista Taz (elle/they) escribió esta reflexión en agosto de 2025. A finales de julio, hace calor en Santa Anita las Canoas, la pequeña comunidad Maya Kaqchikel de Chimaltenango, un departamento del Altiplano Central de [...]