Jueves negro
Encyclopedia
Jueves negro refers to a violent series of political demonstrations that created havoc in Guatemala City
on 24 July and 25 July 2003.
In May 2003, the Guatemalan Republican Front
(FRG) political party selected former military dictator
Efraín Ríos Montt
as its candidate for the forthcoming November presidential election. However, his candidacy was initially rejected by the electoral registry and by two lower courts, on the grounds of a constitutional ban preventing former coup
leaders from seeking the presidency (Ríos Montt had originally come to power by means of a coup d'état on 23 March 1982). On 14 July 2003, the Constitutional Court, which had had several judges appointed from the FRG, approved his candidacy for president, arguing that the terms of the 1985 Constitution could not be applied retroactively
.
On 20 July, however, the Supreme Court suspended his campaign for the presidency and agreed to hear a complaint brought by two right-of-centre parties that the general was constitutionally barred from running for president of the country. Ríos Montt denounced the ruling as judicial manipulation and, in a radio address, called on his followers to take to the streets to protest against this decision. On 24 July, the day known as jueves negro', thousands of masked FRG supporters invaded the streets of Guatemala City, armed with machetes, clubs and guns. They had been bussed in from all over the country by the FRG amidst claims that people working in FRG-controlled municipalities were being blackmailed with being sacked if they did not attend the demonstration. The demonstrators blocked traffic, chanted threatening slogans, and waved their machetes about.
They were led by well known FRG militants, including a well known member of Congress
, who was photographed by the press early in the morning while co-ordinating the actions, and the secretary of Ríos Montt's daughter, Zury
. The demonstrators marched on the courts, the opposition parties headquarters, and newspapers, torching buildings, shooting out windows and burning cars and tyres in the streets. A TV journalist, Héctor Fernando Ramírez
, intervened to try and save a colleague who was being attacked by the demonstrators and died of a heart attack while running away from the mob. The situation was so chaotic over the weekend that both the UN
mission and the U.S.
embassy were closed.
Following the rioting, the Constitutional Court, packed with allies of Ríos Montt and his protégé, President Alfonso Portillo
, overturned the Supreme Court decision, upholding Ríos Montt's claim that the ban on coup leaders, formalized in the 1985 Constitution
, could not be applied retroactively to acts before that date. Many Guatemalans expressed anger over the Court's decision.
and Óscar Berger
.
Criminal charges were brought against seven FRG members for their role in inciting the riot and the manslaughter of Ramírez: Gen. Ríos Montt himself; Ingrid Elaine Argueta Sosa, his niece; Juan Pablo Ríos Richtter, his grandson and a member of the municipal council; Waleska Sánchez Velásquez, the secretary of Zury Ríos Montt; Jorge Arévalo, a congressional deputy; and Raúl Manchamé Leiva, a former director of the national police. http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/2004/marzo/06/83033.html All seven were placed under house arrest. The charges against Gen. Ríos Montt were dismissed in January 2006.
In a related case, Juan Pablo Ríos and four other members of the FRG were sentenced to three-year prison terms for racial discrimination (Guatemala's first such prosecution) for having levelled ethnic slurs at Nobel Peace Prize
winner Rigoberta Menchú
during a later challenge lodged with the Constitutional Court. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4411207.stm By paying stiffer fines in accordance with Guatemalan law, however, the five were able to escape serving jail time.
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
on 24 July and 25 July 2003.
In May 2003, the Guatemalan Republican Front
Guatemalan Republican Front
The Guatemalan Republican Front is a right-wing political party in Guatemala.It was created in 1989 by former president and dictator Efraín Ríos Montt, and formally registered in 1990...
(FRG) political party selected former military dictator
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
Efraín Ríos Montt
Efraín Ríos Montt
José Efraín Ríos Montt is a former de facto President of Guatemala, dictator, army general, and former president of Congress. In the 2003 presidential elections, he unsuccessfully ran as the candidate of the ruling Guatemalan Republican Front .Huehuetenango-born Ríos Montt remains one of the most...
as its candidate for the forthcoming November presidential election. However, his candidacy was initially rejected by the electoral registry and by two lower courts, on the grounds of a constitutional ban preventing former coup
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
leaders from seeking the presidency (Ríos Montt had originally come to power by means of a coup d'état on 23 March 1982). On 14 July 2003, the Constitutional Court, which had had several judges appointed from the FRG, approved his candidacy for president, arguing that the terms of the 1985 Constitution could not be applied retroactively
Retroactivity
Retroactivity in law is the application of a given norm to events that took place or began to produce legal effects, before the law was approved...
.
On 20 July, however, the Supreme Court suspended his campaign for the presidency and agreed to hear a complaint brought by two right-of-centre parties that the general was constitutionally barred from running for president of the country. Ríos Montt denounced the ruling as judicial manipulation and, in a radio address, called on his followers to take to the streets to protest against this decision. On 24 July, the day known as jueves negro', thousands of masked FRG supporters invaded the streets of Guatemala City, armed with machetes, clubs and guns. They had been bussed in from all over the country by the FRG amidst claims that people working in FRG-controlled municipalities were being blackmailed with being sacked if they did not attend the demonstration. The demonstrators blocked traffic, chanted threatening slogans, and waved their machetes about.
They were led by well known FRG militants, including a well known member of Congress
Congress of Guatemala
The Congress of the Republic is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Guatemala.It comprises 158 deputies, who are elected by direct universal suffrage to serve four-year terms . Twenty-nine of these are elected from nationwide lists, with the rest on a district list basis...
, who was photographed by the press early in the morning while co-ordinating the actions, and the secretary of Ríos Montt's daughter, Zury
Zury Ríos Montt
−Zury Mayté Ríos Sosa de Weller is a Guatemalan politician, affiliated with the Guatemalan Republican Front political party. She is currently serving her fourth term in Congress, where she serves as Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee...
. The demonstrators marched on the courts, the opposition parties headquarters, and newspapers, torching buildings, shooting out windows and burning cars and tyres in the streets. A TV journalist, Héctor Fernando Ramírez
Héctor Fernando Ramírez
Héctor Fernando Ramírez, better known as Reportero X died on July 24, 2003 of a heart attack in Guatemala City while being chased by a mob in what is referred to as jueves negro . He was 61 years old. He had started his career as a radio news reporter...
, intervened to try and save a colleague who was being attacked by the demonstrators and died of a heart attack while running away from the mob. The situation was so chaotic over the weekend that both the UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
mission and the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
embassy were closed.
Following the rioting, the Constitutional Court, packed with allies of Ríos Montt and his protégé, President Alfonso Portillo
Alfonso Portillo
Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera is a Guatemalan politician. He served as the President of the Republic of Guatemala from 2000 to 2004....
, overturned the Supreme Court decision, upholding Ríos Montt's claim that the ban on coup leaders, formalized in the 1985 Constitution
Constitution of Guatemala
The Constitution of Guatemala is the supreme law of the Republic of Guatemala. It sets the bases for the organization of Guatemalan government and it outlines the three main branches of Guatemalan government: executive branch, legislative branch, and judicial branch.External References=*...
, could not be applied retroactively to acts before that date. Many Guatemalans expressed anger over the Court's decision.
Aftermath
Gen. Ríos Montt went on to be placed third in the November presidential vote, behind Álvaro ColomÁlvaro Colom
Álvaro Colom Caballeros is the President of Guatemala for the 2008–2012 term and leader of the social-democratic National Unity of Hope .-Early years:...
and Óscar Berger
Óscar Berger
Óscar José Rafael Berger Perdomo, born on 11 August 1946 in Guatemala City, is a former President of Guatemala.-Early years:Of Belgian descent, Berger was born to an upper class family with large sugar and coffee holdings...
.
Criminal charges were brought against seven FRG members for their role in inciting the riot and the manslaughter of Ramírez: Gen. Ríos Montt himself; Ingrid Elaine Argueta Sosa, his niece; Juan Pablo Ríos Richtter, his grandson and a member of the municipal council; Waleska Sánchez Velásquez, the secretary of Zury Ríos Montt; Jorge Arévalo, a congressional deputy; and Raúl Manchamé Leiva, a former director of the national police. http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/2004/marzo/06/83033.html All seven were placed under house arrest. The charges against Gen. Ríos Montt were dismissed in January 2006.
In a related case, Juan Pablo Ríos and four other members of the FRG were sentenced to three-year prison terms for racial discrimination (Guatemala's first such prosecution) for having levelled ethnic slurs at Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
winner Rigoberta Menchú
Rigoberta Menchú
Rigoberta Menchú Tum is an indigenous Guatemalan, of the K'iche' ethnic group. Menchú has dedicated her life to publicizing the plight of Guatemala's indigenous peoples during and after the Guatemalan Civil War , and to promoting indigenous rights in the country...
during a later challenge lodged with the Constitutional Court. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4411207.stm By paying stiffer fines in accordance with Guatemalan law, however, the five were able to escape serving jail time.
Narrative of events (BBC News coverage)
- 25 May 2003: Guatemala coup leader to stand (elected by party delegates)
- 8 June 2003: Guatemala coup leader defies ban (registration rejected by electoral authorities)
- 6 July 2003: Election setback for Guatemala general (Supreme Court rejects appeal, upholds June ruling by Supreme Electoral Tribunal)
- 15 July 2003: Guatemala general can seek office (Constitutional Court allows him to run, ruling that the Constitution can't be applied retroactively)
- 21 July 2003: Guatemala general blocked again (suspension by the Supreme Court, following appeal lodged by opposition parties)
- 24 July 2003: Bar on Guatemala general upheld (Constitutional Court upholds Supreme Court's suspension)
- 25 July 2003: Guatemala City hit by riot (Black Thursday)
- 31 July 2003: General to run in Guatemala (Constitutional Court overturns earlier ban)
- 11 November 2003: Guatemala general 'accepts loss' (Ríos Montt places third in first-round ballot)
- 9 March 2005 Guatemala Maya racism trial opens (Guatemala's first race discrimination trial)
- 5 April 2005 Guatemala politicians were racist (five Guatemalan politicians have been found guilty of racial discrimination)
External links
- Political Violence in Guatemala (ZNet)
- Jueves negro action alert (NISGUANISGUAThe Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala is a U.S.-based human rights NGO that was created in 1981 with the intention of fighting for human rights in Guatemala. With offices in Oakland, CA and in Guatemala City, NISGUA works to coordinate local grassroots campaigns on both sides in...
) - Diputados y funcionarios del partido oficial involucrados en ataque de turbas a la capital (Prensa LibrePrensa LibrePrensa Libre is a Guatemalan newspaper published in Guatemala City by Prensa Libre, S.A. and distributed nationwide. It was formerly the most widely circulated newspaper in the country and as of 2007 it has the second-widest circulation. It is considered a local newspaper of record. It was founded...
report from 27 July 2003)