Guatemala's New 'Right-wing' Attorney General Raises Questions and Fears
Guatemala's New 'Right-wing' Attorney General Raises Questions and Fears
Written by Kelsey Alford-Jones
Monday, 19 May 2014 19:46
As Dr. Claudia Paz y Paz walked out of Guatemala’s Public Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, May 16th, she was greeted by hundreds of people and a carpet of pine needles and flowers lining her way. These men and women were there to accompany her on her last day as attorney general, calling her the “Prosecutor of Dignity” for her successful efforts over the last three and a half years to bring justice to victims and to enforce the rule of law.
Guatemala’s new attorney general, Thelma Esperanza Aldana Hernández, took office Saturday after a selection process fraught with irregularities. The rushed transition has generated severe criticism from national and international observers, and human rights groups have suggested that it is part of a coordinated effort to terminate the advances made under her predecessor.
As attorney general, Dr. Paz y Paz was a symbol of hope and justice for many Guatemalans frustrated with the country’s judicial institution that historically has served the interests of the economic, political, and military elite. Under her leadership, investigation of cases from the internal armed conflict, some that had lay dormant for a decade or more, began to move forward. Her bold prosecutions of those previously considered untouchable – including corrupt former officials, narco-bosses, high level military officers, and other human rights violators – made history in Guatemala, and contributed to an overall reduction in impunity of almost 25 percent for violent crime.
However, not everyone appreciated these successes, and Paz y Paz was one of the principle targets of pro-military groups that sponsored aggressive defamation campaigns against her in the press and social media. The attacks intensified during and after the genocide case in 2013, and culminated with legal maneuvering to oust her from office. In February 2014, nine months after reversing the conviction of former head of state Ríos Montt for genocide and war crimes, the Constitutional Court ruled to cut short Paz y Paz’s term by seven months. The Court called on the Congress to immediately form the nominating commission for the next Attorney General. Despite the questionable legal basis for the decision, Congress obliged, voting unanimously to implement the ruling just a few days later.
More:
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/guatemala-archives-33/4851-guatemalas-new-right-wing-attorney-general-raises-questions-and-fears-