El Salvador sentences ex-military officers for murdering Dutch journalists

In El Salvador, three former military officers were sentenced for the 1982 killings of four Dutch journalists during the civil war. The verdict came after a trial that was closed to the public, culminating in convictions for former Defense Minister General José Guillermo García, 91, former treasury police director Colonel Francisco Morán, 93, and Colonel Mario Adalberto Reyes Mena, 85. With prison sentences totaling 60 years, it is likely that all three men will spend the rest of their lives behind bars. The court ruled the sentences would adhere to the maximum term allowable at the time of the murders, which was 30 years for each individual due to their role in the ambush. García and Morán are still under police guard, recuperating in a hospital in San Salvador, where they will serve their sentences at their own expense. Reyes Mena, who commanded the Fourth Infantry Brigade, currently resides in the United States. El Salvador’s Supreme Court has ordered that extradition processes be initiated for him to return to face justice. The journalists—Jan Kuiper, Koos Koster, Hans ter Laag, and Joop Willemson—were killed while reporting with leftist rebels. They had intended to spend several days behind rebel lines but were ambushed by Salvadoran soldiers armed with heavy weaponry. The United Nations Truth Commission, established after the 1992 peace agreement, concluded that the killings of the journalists were part of a planned ambush orchestrated by Reyes Mena. During El Salvador’s civil war, an estimated 75,000 civilians lost their lives, primarily at the hands of U.S.-backed government forces. This recent ruling has been hailed as a significant step forward for justice in El Salvador, putting an end to decades of impunity for military officials involved in war crimes. Oscar Pérez, spokesperson for the Fundaciόn Comunicandonos, remarked that truth and justice have triumphed over impunity, marking a historic moment for the country. President Nayib Bukele, who is also the commander in chief of the armed forces, has been ordered to publicly apologize to the families of the victims, further cementing the importance of accountability in the aftermath of the civil war.