The highest court in Guatemala overturned the conviction of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Guatemala’s Constitutional Court reset the case to April 19 in order to resolve several issues. The trial had started a month earlier so all the testimony apparently remains valid.

Rios Montt, 86, had been found guilty of ordering the massacres of 1,771 people at two Mayan villages in 1982 and 1983. The victims were mainly women, elders and children, according to evidence presented in court.

More than 200,000 people, mostly Mayans, were killed or went missing during Guatemala's civil war.

Get the Story:
Guatemala’s top court overturns ex-dictator’s genocide conviction, orders trial to resume (AP 5/20)
Guatemalan Court Overturns Genocide Conviction of Ex-Dictator (The New York Times 5/21)

Some Opinions:
Room for Debate: What Guilt Does the U.S. Bear in Guatemala? (The New York Times 5/19)

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