Guatemala ex-police on trial in 1980 embassy fire (murders)

[Judi Lynn]

Guatemala ex-police on trial in 1980 embassy fire
Published on NewsOK Modified: October 1, 2014 at 3:19 pm • Published: October 1, 2014

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A former police officer is on trial in Guatemala for the deaths of 37 people more than three decades ago when the Spanish Embassy burned down during Guatemala's bloody civil conflict.

Pedro Garcia Arredondo is a former special investigations chief for the Sixth Commando of the National Police.

He is accused of homicide and crimes against humanity for allegedly ordering agents to keep anyone from leaving the diplomatic mission as it burned in 1980.

The first witness called Wednesday was 1992 Nobel peace laureate Rigoberta Menchu, whose father was one of those killed in the blaze.

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Pedro Garcia Arredondo



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[Louisiana1976]

1. I hope Arredondo is brought to justice.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Guatemala's Spanish embassy 'killer' on trial

Guatemala's Spanish embassy 'killer' on trial
Published: 02 Oct 2014 15:54 GMT+02:00
Updated: 02 Oct 2014 15:54 GMT+02:00

The fire was set by police and military trying to remove a group of indigenous farmers, peasants and university students who took over the mission to denounce repression by the armed forces during Guatemala's civil war, which began in 1960 and ended in 1996.

Pedro Garcia Arredondo, the sole defendant, is accused of murder, attempted murder and crimes against humanity.

Some 200 people, many of them victims' relatives, turned out for the Guatemala City trial, including Menchú, the 1992 Nobel laureate.

"We hope that the courts operate under the law and that the judges are not pressured," Menchú told AFP.

More:
http://www.thelocal.es/20141002/former-guatemala-police-chief-on-trial-over-spanish-embassy-fire-rigoberta-menchu