Trial Date Fixed for Murder of Dutch Journalists During El Salvador War
The trial for the murder of four Dutch journalists during the Salvadoran war will commence on April 23, 2025. The accused include former Defense Minister José Guillermo García and two colonels, with the case linked to a military ambush in 1982. This trial represents a significant step towards justice, following a UN Truth Commission’s findings on the incident.
The trial against former El Salvador Defense Minister José Guillermo García and two colonels, accused of orchestrating the murder of four Dutch journalists in 1982, is set to begin on April 23. The journalists, who were filming a documentary on the Salvadoran civil war, were ambushed on March 17, 1982, in Chalatenango. This proceeding marks a significant phase in a legal battle that has persisted for several years.
The hearings of this “historic trial” are expected to last approximately one week and will be overseen by the Salvadoran Association for Human Rights and the Comunicándonos Foundation, both of which represent the victims’ families. Two of the accused are currently hospitalized: 91-year-old General José Guillermo García and 93-year-old Colonel Francisco Antonio Morán.
The third defendant, 85-year-old Colonel Mario Reyes Mena, is located in the United States. Recent developments include a Supreme Court ruling granting extradition for Colonel Reyes. Attorney Pedro Cruz, representing the victims’ families, indicated that the court will review evidence during this final hearing, which commenced in 2018.
The hearings are conducted at the Court of First Instance of Dulce Nombre de María, situated 78 kilometers north of San Salvador. The former military leaders face serious allegations stemming from a 1993 UN Truth Commission, which concluded that the deaths of the Dutch reporters resulted from a planned ambush involving Colonel Reyes and other high-ranking officers.
The upcoming trial marks a pivotal moment for justice regarding the murder of four Dutch journalists during the Salvadoran civil war. As former military leaders face long-overdue accountability, this legal process emphasizes the persistent efforts of human rights advocates and the victims’ families to seek truth and justice. The outcome of this trial, beginning on April 23, 2025, may bring resolution to a historic and grievous chapter in El Salvador’s past.
Original Source: ticotimes.net
