Guatemala’s Archive of Truth at Risk | Global News

Guatemala races against time to save 60,000 testimonies from victims of its brutal 1960-1996 civil war, risking permanent loss as President Arévalo’s term ends in January 2028. These vital records, gathered over a decade by the National Reparation Program, were abandoned and even ordered destroyed under the last two administrations, leaving files damp, disorganized, and damaged. One heartbreaking case: four-year-old Manuel Botom Uz vanished in 1982, his body found 20 years later in a clandestine grave. Officials suspect a deliberate campaign to erase history, while the current government pushes to recover, preserve, and digitize the archive—eventually making it accessible globally as part of a broader effort to honor victims and ensure justice. The files document mass atrocities: extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, disappearances, and forced recruitment, revealing a conflict that claimed 200,000 lives and left 45,000 missing. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/7b3223113ee6094d