Following the genocide
In 1986 civilian rule and a new constitution were set up, but the army held on to its power because half a million Guatemalans were members of army, police or civil defense forces, many of them were responsible for the civil war's worst brutality and thus tensions continued. A peace agreement was finally signed in 1996.
Since then Guatemala has been trying to recover from its civil war, hard to do when so many civilians had taken part in atrocities.
Since then Guatemala has been trying to recover from its civil war, hard to do when so many civilians had taken part in atrocities.
In November 1998 three former members of a 'civil patrol' were tried in the first case arising from the genocide. These patrollers, with 42 others, had massacred 77 women and 107 children. In February 1999, The Historical Clarification Commission (CEH) discovered a governmental policy of genocide carried out against the Mayan Indians. In June 2001, a legal action on behalf of 12 Mayan communities succeeded in bringing a charge of genocide against a former dictator who had seized power in 1982.
The most recent trials of, Jose Efrain Rios Montt, who ruled Guatemala for nearly seventeen months during 1982 and 1983, and Jose Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez, his then chief of military intelligence, were put on trial for crimes against humanity and committing genocide. The final trial ended in 2013, three decades after the genocide.
The most recent trials of, Jose Efrain Rios Montt, who ruled Guatemala for nearly seventeen months during 1982 and 1983, and Jose Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez, his then chief of military intelligence, were put on trial for crimes against humanity and committing genocide. The final trial ended in 2013, three decades after the genocide.