Guatemala’s former attorney general on reducing violence, convicting a dictator

Americas Now

Guatemala’s former Attorney General Claudia Paz

Guatemala is recognized as one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America and the world. Americas Now anchor Elaine Reyes sat down with Claudia Paz, the country’s first female attorney general, who left her post earlier this year.

Paz helped take on Guatemala’s most brutal gangs and conducted investigations into corrupt local officials. She reduced the murder rate by more than 25 percent, slowed down the drug trafficking and prosecuted a former head of state accused of genocide.

Guatemala’s former Attorney General Claudia Paz

Guatemala is recognized as one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America and the world. Americas Now anchor Elaine Reyes sat down with Claudia Paz, the country’s first female attorney general, who left her post earlier this year.

Former President and Army General Efrain Rios Montt was originally charged with homicide and crimes against humanity 14 years ago. Under Paz’s oversight during the last four years of the trial, the testimony of more than 100 survivors led to a conviction of the former dictator in 2013.

Guatemala’s Constitutional Court, their equivalent of the Supreme Court, recently overturned this conviction based on an issue with the closing testimonies, so that part of the case will need to be reheard. The original conviction, however, was seen as a great accomplishment for the Guatemalan people.

Paz left office in 2014 and decided to return to academia and teach at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. for a year.

She discusses her accomplishments as attorney general and what is still left to be done.