Statement: General Elections 2023

The Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR) rejects and question the candidacy for the presidential elections of Zury Mayté Ríos Sosa, daughter of the deceased ex-dictator José Efraín Ríos Montt.

THE ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION – AJR- COMMUNICATES TO THE PUBLIC OPINION

Zury Ríos Sosa’s participation as a presidential candidate offends the conscience, dignity and memory of the victims of the Internal Armed Conflict.

The Association for Justice and Reconciliation -AJR- made up of victims and survivors of the Internal Armed Conflict -CAI-, flatly rejects  Zury Ríos Sosa’s participation as a presidential candidate for being illegal and unconstitutional.

The registration of Ríos Sosa is a clear violation of article 186 of the Political Constitution of the Republic, which clearly establishes that the following people will not be able to run for President or Vice President of the Republic: “a) The caudillo nor the leaders of a coup State (…) c) relatives within the fourth degree of consanguinity (…) and those of the persons referred to in the first paragraph of this article (…)”.

Our rejection and concern is also due to the fact that the victims and survivors of the CAI still face judicial processes and the participation of Zury Ríos offends the conscience, dignity and memory of those of us who seek justice for the massacres, torture, violence and sexual slavery, the Genocide and all the crimes against humanity committed between 1982 and 1983, by her father, the genocidal José Efraín Ríos Montt.

Despite being registered, the victims of the CAI do not recognize or legitimize the participation of Zury Ríos Sosa, as it is illegal, unconstitutional and immoral. Likewise, we condemn and reject the offensive attitude of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) and the Constitutional Court (CC), who have judicialize the electoral process to support Ríos Sosa and remove any candidate from her path that threatens her arrival to the presidency of Guatemala.

WE DON’T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PAST, GENOCIDE NEVER AGAIN

Guatemala, June 14th 2023

Read the statement in Spanish here