Is It Possible to Do Justice in Guatemala?

In 1999, the UN-sponsored Commission for Historical Clarification concluded that state actors “committed acts of genocide” against indigenous Mayans in Guatemala during a 36-year conflict in which there were some 200,000 deaths and disappearances. More recently, Guatemala has been plagued with extraordinarily high rates of drug-related violent crime and politically affiliated corruption and other criminal activity.

Guatemalan authorities have struggled to ensure that justice is done in response to crimes of the past and the present. There have been a small number of notable prosecutions related to the armed conflict. Yet, a genocide conviction for a former general was overturned in a divided judgment and no new trial has been set. Meanwhile, the independence of the judiciary has been challenged following evidence of corruption and allegations of retaliation against independent judges. And the International Commission Against Impunity, an international experiment to strengthen the capacity of domestic authorities to address threats from organized criminal networks tied to governmental actors, is due to end in September absent an extension.

Following both important successes and challenging setbacks, the former attorney general of Guatemala and the Guatemalan ambassador to the United Nations will discuss whether it is possible in Guatemala today to change a culture of impunity.

Speakers

• Claudia Paz y Paz is the former attorney general of Guatemala.
• Aryeh Neier is the president emeritus of the Open Society Foundations.
• Jim Goldston (moderator) is the director of the Open Society Justice Initiative.

Note: Ambassador Fernando Carrera, permanent representative of Guatemala to the United Nations, was scheduled to participate in this event but will unfortunately be unable to attend.