This past Friday, a three-judge tribunal unanimously convicted and sentenced a group of seven Guatemalan gang members to a variety of crimes, including, murder, kidnapping, and possession of illegal firearms. Sentences ranged from 100 to 376 years. The trial came to a close after three weeks of testimony, evidence, and legal debate. Members of the group, self-named “Los Pujujiles”, were found guilty of kidnapping ten victims for ransom and murdering six of them.
One of the accused is brought into court for sentencing -- 02/10/12 (Photo Credit: Greg Krupa)
Facing the inevitable, the accused is brought into court by a court guard for sentencing -- 02/10/12 (Photo Credit: Greg Krupa)
"Los Pujujiles", cuffed and caged, listen while Judge María Eugenia Castellanos sentences them to prison 02/10/12 (Photo Credit: Greg Krupa)
Evidence presented in court showed how the group conducted the kidnappings, stopping vehicles late at night as they drove through Los Encuentros, Sololá (a major arterial intersection just outside the famous Lake Atitlan). The group would force drivers out of their vehicles, kidnap them, and then hold them for ransom, often requesting impossibly large sums of money from family members—ranging from 200,000 to 500,000 Quetzales ($25,000 to $64,000 USD). When a victim’s family members could not come up with the ransom money, the group would kill the hostage. According to the tribunal, this happened six times. The group asphyxiated or hung their victims. To hide the bodies, the group buried them in vacant lots.
Public prosecutor makes oral argument during the first day of trial -- 02/10/12 (Photo Credit: Greg Krupa)
The case evoked attention from human rights groups and the media. Beyond the gruesome and inhumane nature of the crimes, one of the ten victims in the case was a famous Mayan leader, defender of Mayan culture, dancer and artist: Leonardo Lisandro Guarcax. He was leader of Sotz'il, an art group that researches and performs pre-Colombian dances from the Guatemalan highlands. Lisandro was kidnapped on August 25t, 2010 by "Los Pujujiles". The group negotiated the ransom with Lisandro’s father, Anastasio. However, he couldn’t pay them what they were asking soon enough. After less than 24 hours in captivity, "Los Pujujiles" murdered and then dumped Lisandro on the highway. The court, during sentencing, ordered the Municipality of Sololá to pay tribute to the young artist, in honor of his contributions to the community. The court also ordered that family members be compensated for their suffering.
UDEFEGUA represented Lisandro Guarcax's father, Anastasio, as co-plaintiff alongside the State Prosecutors.
Attorney Francisco Martin Vivar Castellanos from el Bufete Juridico de Derechos Humanos, moments before trial begins -- 01/23/12 (Photo Credit: Greg Krupa)
The families of the victims, unlike in most cases (nearly 95% of murders in Guatemala are uninvestigated), can rest easy knowing that they will be safe from further threats, and that other families will not face similar violence from these men. "Los Pujujiles" are the first organized crime group of kidnappers in Guatemala to face such swift and definite justice. Rony López, special prosecutor against Organized Crime from the Public Prosecutor’s office said “it’s a historical precedent that a group of kidnappers serve such a steep sentence”.
Courtroom audience during sentencing: Mayan leaders seated in front, human rights defenders, victims' supporters and family members, and members of the media -- 02/10/12 (Photo Credit: Greg Krupa)
Following Friday night’s sentencing, Lisandro’s father, Anastasio Guarcax said, “There’s satisfaction in this judgment. Now we believe in the justice system.”
Poster from "Your Heart Flourishes" Fesitval
