On June 9, Guatemala’s justice system granted substitute measures and house arrest to former high-rank military officials Benedicto Lucas García, Manuel Callejas y Callejas, and Francisco Luis Gordillo Martínez, who were sentenced in 2018 for their participation in the illegal detention, torture, and sexual assault of Emma Guadalupe Molina [...]
On May 20, 1999, the Military Diary of Guatemala was published for the first time. Twenty-four years after the publication of the document: The Military Diary, families of the victims registered in it continue to demand justice. We join the thousands of voices that continue to ask #WhereAreThey? #ThinkDifferentIsNotACrime. [...]
On May 10, 2023, the Caravan of Memory and Justice was held to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the historic genocide sentence of May 10, 2013, on which former dictator Efrain Rios Montt became the first head of state in the world to be sentenced in national courts [...]
On May 10, 2023, a press conference was held during the activities to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the sentence against Efraín Ríos Montt in 2013, for genocide and crimes against the duties of humanity committed against the Maya Ixil people. At the press conference, victims and survivors of [...]
![[Alt text] Sobre una pared amarilla hay un empapelado en blanco y negro de rostros de personas desaparecidas durante el Conflicto Armado Interno en Guatemala, sobre estos la imagen de Monseñor Gerardi en blanco y negro, socializado hombre con lentes y con su mano sosteniendo su mandibula. Sobre él, un arco de claveles en color rojo y la frase en letras blancas y amarillas: “Gerardi Vive”. [Alt text] On a yellow wall there is a black and white wallpaper of faces of people who disappeared during the Internal Armed Conflict in Guatemala, on these the image of Monsignor Gerardi in black and white, socialized man with glasses and with his hand holding his jaw. Above him, an arch of carnations in red and the phrase in white and yellow letters: "Gerardi Vive".](https://nisgua.org/wp-content/uploads/Untitled-design-320x202.png)
On April 26th, relatives of victims disappeared during the Internal Armed Conflict, honor the legacy of Monsignor Juan José Geradi Conedera. 25 years after his murder, his voice is still alive among the People, called to continue the struggles to vindicate memory, truth and justice in Guatemala. We [...]
Claire (they/them), former NISGUA Internacionalista, wrote this update during their time as a volunteer with NISGUA. Dear NISGUA family, Almost exactly one year after leaving staff, I’m honored to come back for a month as an accompanier. Frankly, it's a disturbing political scene to return to. You [...]
In May 2018, the judges of the Highest Risk Court C sentenced General Manuel Benedicto Lucas García, former head of the Presidential General Staff; Manuel Callejas y Callejas, former intelligence chief; and Hugo Ramiro Zaldaña, former intelligence officer, to 58 years in prison; and to 33 years in prison [...]
Oli (they/them) former NISGUA internacionalista wrote this update during their time as a volunteer with NISGUA. Read and enjoy! Dear community, I am in Guatemala for my second stint as an accompanier. Some of the struggles I accompanied when I was here last in 2018-19 have been won, [...]
March has been a month of transitions, from winter to spring, and in the processes of Mother Earth: it is the time to sow! Together, let us sow seeds of solidarity, resistance, and rebellion. Ancestral wisdom teaches us that, in order to grow, seeds must take root in fertile [...]
International and national organizations warned about a new attempt by the Constitutional Court (CC) to maintain impunity for the crimes committed in the Molina Theissen Case. The CC’s decision orders that a new resolution be issued, which may favor house arrest for the former military officials, Francisco Luis Gordillo [...]
![[ENG] An image with a white background strip at the top of the text reads in black letters boletin 24 March 7, 2023 caso diario militar, next to this title the logo of the association Familiares de Víctimas del caso Diario Militar which are two people embracing, one with a red shirt and dark hair and the other only his empty silhouette on a yellow background. It is followed by a photo of people in a courtroom. On a desk in front, a socialized woman with blond hair, gray jacket and a desk microphone in front and to her right 5 more people in dark formal suits with a microphone in front. Below the photographs the text of the bulletin. [ESP] Una imagen con una franja de fondo blanco en la parte superior del texto se lee en letras negras boletin 24 marzo 7 de 2023 caso diario militar, junto a este titulo el logo de la asociación Familiares de Víctimas del caso Diario Militar que son dos personas abrazándose una con camisa roja y cabello oscuro y otra solo su silueta vacía sobre un fondo amarillo. Le sigue la foto de personas en una corte. Sobre un escritorio de frente, una persona socializada mujer con cabello color rubio, saco gris y un micrófono de escritorio en el frente y a su derecha 5 personas más con trajes formales oscuros con un micrófono al frente. Debajo de la fotografías el texto del boletin.](https://nisgua.org/wp-content/uploads/Boletin-24-CD-320x202.jpg)
Military Diary Case Ex-military personnel Alix Leonel Barillas Soto and Enrique Cifuentes de la Cruz have requested a trial to review their enforcement measures. At this meeting, the lawyer representing the victims in the case analyzed the petition and argued that the crimes for which the accused are [...]
The arrest of lawyer Orlando López demonstrates, once again, the influence that structures in favor of impunity has in the Public Ministry and the justice system, which orchestrates persecution against justice operators, judges, and prosecutors who adhered to the law, fulfilled their role, especially in cases of serious human [...]
![[ENG] Photo of a red and white protest sign that reads "Never Again, Rivers of blood in Guatemala" behind a wall that is the entrance of a church. [ESP] Fotografía de una manta dolor rojo que en blanco dice "Nunca más rios de sangre en Guatemala" en la puerta de entrada a una iglesia](https://nisgua.org/wp-content/uploads/nb25-320x202.jpeg)
Over the past four years, the struggle for justice in Guatemala has endured a series of alarming setbacks that call us to maintain and sustain our solidarity with those we have stood beside for over four decades. During Giammattei’s presidency, the Pact of the Corrupt and their powerful economic [...]
On the National Day for the Dignification of the Victims of the Internal Armed Conflict. WE DEMAND JUSTICE! On this day, we, surviving victims and family members,remember the victims of the CREOMPAZ case. We light candles to keep the fire of hope [...]
Photo by NISGUA Genocide Never Again: Defend the right to Memory, Truth, and Justice. On this, the national Day of Dignification of the Victims of the Internal Armed Conflict, we affirm that we are fighting and will continue to [...]
PAST IMPUNITY IS PRESENT IMPUNITY 43 years after the massacre committed at the Spanish Embassy, the undersigned organizations, members of the No More Genocide Coalition, which brings together organizations of relatives of victims, victims themselves of the direct repression committed by the Guatemalan Army in our communities against the [...]
After judge Gálvez who was overseeing the trial for Guatemala's Military Diary Case was forced into exile under trumped up charges, yesterday, February 2, at the hearing of a former Colonel and former police officer accused in the Military Diary case, a new judge granted both house arrest. The [...]
(English below) Acción solidaria con las familias y querellantes del caso Diario Militar Como NISGUA organizamos esta campaña de fotos esperando que esta muestra internacional de solidaridad sea un aporte más a la visibilidad de la lucha que por décadas los familiares y sobrevivientes han llevado a cabo. Lamentablemente, [...]
Last September, we held a webinar together with the Association of Family Members of the Detained and Disappeared of Guatemala (FAMDEGUA) with the objective of hearing updates directly from the families and lawyers of the Military Diary case and discussing some of the gender-differentiated impacts for women. FAMDEGUA was [...]
The Military Diary is a document that lists the names of 195 people, including children, who were captured and forcibly disappeared between 1983 and 1985 during the dictatorship of Óscar Humberto Mejía Víctores. The Military Diary also lays out systematic human rights abuses committed by the [...]
On May 6, Judge Galvez ordered the opening the trial for the first 9 accused of the Military Diary case, who will face charges for illegal detention, torture, forced disappearance, murder, extra-judicial execution, sexual violence & crimes against humanity of at least 195 people (1983-1985). A central concern and [...]
We share with you a statement from the AJR regarding the return of the remains of several people murdered during the Internal Armed Conflict by the Guatemalan army, to their community of La Trinitaria, Ixcán, Quiche. Guatemala November 17, 2022 We inform the national and international [...]
On November 15, Judge Galvez announced his resignation as a High-risk Court Judge and made public that he left the country due to defamation, intimidation, harassment, security threats and lack of access to a due process. The threats against Judge Miguel Angel Galvez increased dramatically after he ordered the [...]
In memory of activist Susanne Jonas "Susanne Jones has died. Long Live Susanne Jonas!" -- Luis Argueta, Guatemalan filmmaker Susanne Jonas, prolific author, teacher, and tireless social justice activist on behalf of Guatemala and Central America more broadly, died while hospitalized with pneumonia in [...]
(En español abajo) On October 12, the Guatemalan Congress introduced a bill to compensate Military Veterans who served during the Internal Armed Conflict. We share with you the statement from La Convergencia por los Derechos Humanos, a coalition of human rights organizations in Guatemala. They pointed out that the [...]
Guatemala Increased repression and political persecution Situation of individuals, organizations and communities that defend human rights January to June 2022 Since 2021, the Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders -Guatemala (UDEFEGUA) has expressed its concern about the deteriorating political, economic and social environment to which the [...]
We share the statement of Convergencia por los Derechos Humanos, in solidarity with the pursuit of democracy, freedom of expression and non-criminalization of human rights defenders. In view of the raids on El Periódico, the arrest of its President and the Prosecutor Samari Gómez We denounce: the arbitrary action [...]
Ruby Tedeschi (she/elle/ella) former NISGUA Internacionalista, recorded this update during their time as a volunteer with NISGUA. Turn the volume up and enjoy! Dear Friends and family I enjoy talking a whole lot more than I enjoy writing so I attached a voice recording [...]
On May 6, Judge Miguel Angel Galvez ordered the opening of the trial for the first nine military and retired policemen accused in the “Military Diary” case. Subsequently, after the capture and first hearing of Toribio Acevedo Ramirez, who was a fugitive and wanted for the same case, Judge [...]
During the time of the military government of Romeo Lucas García (1978-1982), the Guatemalan state and army designed and implemented its policy of genocide. While Romero Lucas García was in power, more than 1,700 people were victims of the crimes of genocide, forced disappearance and crimes against humanity by [...]
[español abajo] Building the World We Want Dear community, this month we share with you our reflections about the People’s summit celebrated in Los Angeles, updates on the Military Diary Case and the criminalization of the judge who ruled the opening of the trial, a video- report from the [...]
A member of the community whose home was destroyed by the Escobal silver mine speaks with Representative Corie Bush during the delegation's visit to Xinka territories. Members of the U.S. Congress– Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Rep. Cori Bush (MO-01), Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), and Rep. Jamaal Bowman [...]
Dear friends, family, and comrades, As the year moves forward, NISGUA is happy to share that we are officially back in Guatemala! Over the last few months, we have been observing trials, commemorations, and accompanying different activities with our partners. Recently, social organizations, survivors, and victims highlighted the risk [...]
On February 25th, NISGUA was present at the march and commemoration held in Guatemala City for the National Day of Dignification for the Victims of the Internal Armed Conflict (IAC). This is an important day nationally for honoring the memory of those whose lives the Guatemalan state and military [...]
ON TRIAL FOR GENOCIDE AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY After almost forty years of the perpetuation of crimes against humanity such as genocide, Chief of Operations General Luis Enrique Mendoza García was sent to trial for genocide and crimes against humanity committed against the Maya Ixil people due to sufficient [...]
Ixil Genocide Case Bulletin 04 02/10/22 DEFENSE ATTORNEY ASKS THAT THE AJR AND CALDH NOT BE CONSTITUTED AS DEFINITIVE PLAINTIFFS IN THE CASE "We oppose the acceptance of the request made by the AJR and CALDH entities to be definitively constituted as associated plaintiffs in the present process and [...]
Ixil Genocide Case Bulletin 03 -- 02/08/22 "I AUTHORIZED THE VICTORIA 82 PLAN" On the third day of the genocide trial, Luis Enrique Mendoza Garcia, Chief of Operations of the General Staff of national defense during 1982 and 1983, admitted that he autorized the Victoria 82 Plan of Operations, [...]
PLAINTIFFS IN CASE REQUEST THAT MILITARY OFFICER ACCUSED OF GENOCIDE BE SENT TO TRIAL "As a part of these processes of justice where the democratic state and the construction of peace in this country are also being strengthened so that the new generations remember this history and can join [...]
Luis Enrique Mendoza García, former high-ranking military officer, will face trial for genocide and crimes against humanity while attacks to judicial independence continue; a call for mutual respect and transparency on the pre-consultations of the mining project in Xinca territory Flyer announcing the opening of the trial. [...]
Bulletin 01- 2/1/22 (Written by CALDH) Intermediate Phase Against Army Chief of Operation in Ixil Genocide Case begins “As a part of the general army staff and the national defense staff, you had knowledge and willingness to destroy the civil noncombatant population of the Maya Ixil ethnic group.” The [...]