Justice After Decades: Guatemala’s Civil War Rape Case

A court in Guatemala Court has handed down 40-year prison sentences to three former paramilitaries found guilty of raping six Indigenous women between 1981 and 1983, during the country’s brutal civil war. Judge Maria Eugenia Castellanos stated, “The women recognised the perpetrators, they recognised the places where the events took place. They were victims of crimes against humanity,” commending the women’s bravery in testifying.

The convicted individuals, Pedro Sanchez, Simeon Enriquez, and Felix Tum, were members of the Civil Self-Defense Patrols, a pro-government armed group. The judge noted that “they are crimes of solitude that stigmatise the woman. It is not easy to speak of them.” Indigenous lawyer Haydee Valey, representing the victims, described the sentence as “historic” because it recognizes the struggle of civil war survivors who demanded justice for decades.

One victim, a 62-year-old woman, expressed her satisfaction with the verdict, stating she was “very happy.” In contrast, Pedro Sanchez claimed, “I am innocent of what they are accusing me of.” However, Judge Marling Mayela Gonzalez Arrivillaga asserted that there was no doubt about the women’s testimony against the suspects.

This conviction marks the second trial in the Maya Achi women’s case against former military personnel and paramilitaries. In January 2022, five former paramilitaries were sentenced to 30 years in prison. Advocacy group Impunity Watch highlighted that the case reveals how the Guatemalan army used sexual violence as a weapon of war against Indigenous women during the civil conflict.

In a similar case in 2016, two former military officers were sentenced to a combined 360 years in prison for holding 15 women from the Q’eqchi community as sex slaves. The ongoing pursuit of justice for these crimes is a significant step towards acknowledging the suffering of survivors and holding perpetrators accountable.

The conviction of these three former paramilitaries marks a significant step towards justice for the victims of Guatemala’s civil war, which lasted for 36 years and ended in 1996. According to the Guatemalan Commission for Historical Clarification, there were 1,465 documented cases of rape during the conflict, with 89% of the victims being Indigenous Maya women. This ruling highlights the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and brings hope to the survivors who have been seeking justice for decades.