Photo of Maya Achi women on the steps of the Constitutional Court

Maya Achi women come together outside the courthouse.

After more than 40 years of struggle, Maya Achí women achieve justice

On May 30th, 2025, the Maya Achí women of Rabinal presented themselves for the last time at the Supreme Court of Justice in Guatemala City to hear the sentencing from the corresponding judges overseeing their case against the three ex-PAC members. This session was originally scheduled for May 21st, but the court announced a postponement following the court session on May 19th, as they likely needed more time to come to a final decision. This alarmed BTS staff, as well as the attorneys overseeing the case; however, the last of the three accused aggressors (who didn’t have a chance to speak on May 21st) was to be given the floor on May 30th before the final decision was announced.

Prior to the start of the court session on May 30th, the Achí women gathered in front of the courthouse alongside the press, BTS staff and other accompanying organizations, and the public to give a press conference regarding the case. The space in front of the courthouse was adorned with flowers, candles, and incense to allow for a short invocation as those present set their intentions for the proceeding session.

Together we entered the courthouse at 8:15 a.m. in anticipation of the 8:30 a.m. start time. As usual, the session started approximately 45 minutes late once the judges and the defence attorneys presented themselves. The final accused aggressor gave his last declarations before the court, claiming that he was innocent of the crimes he was being accused of. The trial officially closed for deliberation at 9:35 a.m. with the judges announcing they would give the final sentence at 2pm.

We went out to the courtyard to pass the time. BTS staff assisted the team from the Rabinal Community Legal Clinical (ABJP) with setting up informal coverings for the women to sit under as the sun blazed. Following lunch, we entered the courtroom once again around 1 p.m. The environment in the courthouse was buzzing. Aside from the large group of women that had traveled from Rabinal to be here for the court’s decision, several press agencies, international organizations, students, family members, and community members were also present. It’s safe to say there wasn’t enough space for every person present to find a seat in the courthouse.

Around 2:35 p.m., the judges entered the courtroom once again and gave a summary of the case, recalling facts from the expert witnesses, witness testimonies, and analyses they drew from these. As each of the judges spoke and gave their interventions, the feeling in the courthouse started to shift as their words indicated a certain predilection towards the testimonies of the survivors. This sensation reached its culmination once the judge in charge of the case made her declarations prior to announcing the sentence.

The judge invoked the violence of the Internal Armed Conflict (IAC), explaining that “we cannot wait, we have to go directly to those affected in these crimes” because “in Guatemala it was not just one year of conflict; it was thirty-six years”. She went on to explain that in Guatemala there has been conflict for the last 500 years since the invasion of the Spanish in these territories, indicating a certain level of understanding of the context in which Indigenous communities exist. She then explained that “the women are so brave for coming here to give their testimony…it is not easy”. The violence that they experienced “affects all parts of their lives and their families as well…it hurts to hear their testimonies [because] the damage is psychological…the intention [of these acts] was to damage the Indigenous woman.”

Following the final judge’s intervention, she then declared that the three ex-PAC members, Felix Tún Ramírez, Pedro Sánchez Cortéz, and Simeon Enríquez Gómez were all guilty of the crimes they had been accused of. They were each sentenced to 40 years in prison. At the end, the court validated the women’s testimonies and their stories about the violence they experienced during the IAC. Nonetheless, the three ex-PAC members were not taken to jail right away, but rather were told to continue with the measure that allows them to remain without arrest and without the legal right to return to Rabinal. The defence will likely appeal the decision on June 4th, when the next session will be held to discuss the terms of the reparations for the survivors.

Despite the decision in favour of the women, they were visibly affected at the end of the court proceedings, presumably because they recalled everything they had lived through and the legal process they undertook to be there, along with the emotion of the decision the court gave. It did not help that the press smothered the women with their cameras, microphones, and cellphones, capitalizing on their emotions and reactions during a very difficult time.

Although the aggressors were not taken to jail right away, it’s important to highlight the fact that the strength, perseverance, and resiliency that the Achí women demonstrated is the true victory. Regardless of the court’s decision and beyond expecting or searching for validation from a corrupt and intentionally malfunctioning justice system that has historically denied Indigenous People their rights, it’s important to recognize the essence of the humanity of the Achí women. The fact that they came forward over 40 years after the crimes took place to denounce this violence and face their aggressors directly leaves us with a powerful example of what it means to be human. To experience violence, persecution, shame, and fear, but to find the strength to confront these moments of darkness and overcome those internal and external barriers to do so has been an incredible thing for us as BTS staff to experience and reflect on. The respect and admiration we have towards the Achí women for doing so is without bounds.

This sentence sets an important precedent for the slow moving transitional justice process in Guatemala, one that has been stymied by various factions of Guatemalan society. It’s difficult to trust or believe in these systems, but the powerful efforts of the Achí women transcend far beyond their reach. They bring to the forefront a continued consciousness of the violence that the country and its people experienced, marking a historical moment for present and future generations to remember, process, and contemplate.