«Mala» in Guatemala

As an attorney, I'm fully aware that there are procedural errors so egregious that they warrant the setting aside of a verdict and the retrial of a defendant. But, there is also the doctrine of the non-prejudicial error, one that, though committed, does not annul a judicial proceeding. Without the benefit of knowing just what the procedural violation was in the Ríos Montt trial in Guatemala, it's impossible to judge if the decision to overturn his conviction is justified.

There are, though, disturbing signs that this surprising development may be due to pressures from the powers that be, namely, business and the military, the two elements that, in tandem, have traditionally ruled in Latin America from the far Right. In this case, not only have the come out to protect one of their own, but also to protect others from both groups who could stand trial in the immediate future.

In any case, the former dictator will be tried once again. Let's hope that they get it right, and the guilty ruling stands.

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