‘Give Him a Civil Death’: The Fleeing Judges of Guatemala

Miguel Angel Galvez lived a double life: at work, he was one of Guatemala’s most influential and famous jurists, presiding over cases that sent former and sitting heads of state to prison. But at night and on weekends, Galvez was a scared man worried that he'd be shot down in the street.

He had good reason to be afraid. Every other high profile anti-corruption prosecutor or judge in the country is in exile or in jail. This year, the same right-wing group, Foundation Against Terrorism (FCT), behind the persecution of other jurists publicly proclaimed that Galvez was next. But if Galvez left the country what would happen to his internationally watched trial implicating former military officials in the extrajudicial killings of 183 Guatemalans? Today, reporter Jesse Alejandro Cotrell interviews Galvez…and the man who led the charge to chase him out of the country.

This story was reported and produced by Jesse Alejandro Cottrell and edited by Stephanie Kariuki and Annie Aviles.

VICE News Reports is produced by Sam Eagan, Sophie Kazis, Adreanna Rodriguez and Adriana Tapia. Our senior producers are Jesse Alejandro Cottrell, Janice Llamoca and Julia Nutter. Our supervising producer is Ashley Cleek. Our associate producer is Steph Brown. Sound design and music composition by Steve Bone, Pran Bandi, and Kyle Murdock. Annie Aviles is our Executive Editor and Janet Lee is Senior Production Manager for VICE Audio. Fact Checking by Nicole Pasulka. Our theme music is by Steve Bone. Our host is Arielle Duhaime-Ross.

Special thanks to Bernardo Caal Xol, Jorge Mario Mendoza, Patricia Ninett Martínez Rodríguez, Jessica Cristina Gramajo Argueta, and Andrea Carrillo Samayoa.

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