Three former El Salvador military officers were given lengthy prison sentences over the 1982 killings of four Dutch journalists during the country’s civil war. It means former Defense Minister Gen. José Guillermo García, 91, former treasury police director Col. Francisco Morán, 93, and Col. Mario Adalberto Reyes Mena, 85, will likely die in custody.
In the sentence, the court imposed 15-year sentences requested by the prosecution cumulative for each victim, adding up to 60 years. However, the court will follow the maximum sentence allowed at the time of the killings, which was 30 years. The court also ordered President Nayib Bukele, who is the commander in chief of the armed forces, to issue a public apology to the victims’ families.
Last month, a jury convicted the three former officers after a trial that was closed to the public. “Truth and justice have won over impunity and this is a historic event for El Salvador,” said Oscar Pérez of the Fundación Comunicandonos, which represents the families.
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