There was always a moment, Ainoa Pubill Unzeta, who carried out interviews in Barcelona, says, “when people actually saw a picture that they would relate to, you could feel it … you can see it”. For some, it was just a smile; others cried. For her, this was confirmation that the image was done well.
“The women recognised the perpetrators, they recognised the places where the events took place. They were victims of crimes against humanity,” she said, praising the women’s bravery in coming to court to testify on repeated occasions.“They are crimes of solitude that stigmatise the woman. It is not easy to speak of them,” the judge said.
Indigenous lawyer Haydee Valey, who represented the women, said the sentence was “historic” because it finally recognised the struggle of civil war survivors who haddemanded justice for decadesSeveral Maya Achi women in the courtroom applauded at the end of the trial, where some dressed in traditional attire and others listened to the verdict through an interpreter.
One of the victims, a 62-year-old woman, told the AFP news agency she was “very happy” with the verdict.Pedro Sanchez, one of the three men convicted, told the court before the sentencing, “I am innocent of what they are accusing me of.”
But Judge Marling Mayela Gonzalez Arrivillaga, another member of the all-women, three-panel court, said there was no doubt about the women’s testimony against the suspects.
The convictions were second in the Maya Achi women’s case against former military personnel and paramilitaries. The first trial, which took place in January 2022, saw five former paramilitaries sentenced to 30 years in prison.“But the lifespan of a tractor is more than 10 years, so the effect would not be immediate. Yes, there are risks and we are taking steps to mitigate them”.
As for ethical concerns, the manager said her conscience is undisturbed.“We have 220,000 cows in Russia. Whatever we think about the war and invasion, what choice do we have? We must continue working and find solutions to overcome everyday difficulties,” she said.
The Trump administration has paused new visa interviews for international students set to attend US universities.United States President Donald Trump’s administration has ordered its embassies abroad to