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
Communities maintain peaceful demonstration in protest of negative impacts of Tahoe Resources’ mine in Guatemala
Featured photo credit: Jorge Tobías Pineda Herrera Since June 7, 2017, communities surrounding Tahoe Resources’ Escobal mine in southeastern Guatemala have maintained a 24-hour peaceful protest of mine-related traffic. They are denouncing the constant tremors [...]
Demanda contra Tahoe Resources en Canadá obtiene visto bueno para ir a juicio, se considera la punta del iceberg con respecto a riesgos
12 de junio de 2017 (Ottawa/Oakland/Tatamagouche/Toronto/Washington D.C.) El lunes se emitió una alerta para inversionistas advirtiendo que los históricos desarrollos con respecto a la demanda contra Tahoe Resources en Canadá es tan sólo uno de [...]
Lawsuit against Tahoe Resources cleared for trial in Canada, ‘Tip of the Iceberg’ with regard to risks
June 12, 2017 (Ottawa/Oakland/Tatamagouche/Toronto/Washington D.C.) An investor alert released today warns that historic developments in the lawsuit against Tahoe Resources in Canada is just one indicator of serious risks surrounding its Escobal silver mine in [...]
Six police officers on duty when former head of security for Escobal mine fled house arrest sentenced to multiple years in prison
Featured photo credit: CALAS With files from the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network. On June 1, Guatemala trial Judge Verónica Ruíz convicted six members of the National Civil Police for breach of duty. All six [...]
Se solicita a la Comisión de Valores de Columbia Británica investigar a minera por no revelar información sustancial a inversionistas
Comunicado de Prensa (CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA/OAKLAND/TORONTO/OTTAWA/TATAMAGOUCHE) – Mientras en los tribunales de Columbia Británica avanza una demanda civil contra Tahoe Resources por violencia es su mina Escobal en Guatemala, organizaciones de derechos humanos instan a [...]
British Columbia Securities Commission Asked to Investigate Mining Company’s Failure to Disclose Material Facts to Investors
Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP) – Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) – Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) – MiningWatch Canada – Diocesan Committee in Defense of Nature (CODIDENA) (Guatemala [...]