Richy Maria Jacob
HBO’s ‘The Art of Political Murder’ looks into the death of former Guatemalan Catholic Bishop Juan Gerardi. The facets of corruption, violent hands, and repressive powers have taken many nations to their dark ages. It is only a few who have been brave enough to go against these corrupt forces to seek justice, and Bishop Gerardi was one of them.
Juan Gerardi Was a Pillar of the Community Before Was Assassinated
Born on December 27, 1922, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Juan José Gerardi Conedera was always family-oriented and religious. In fact, the latter was to such an extent that he actually studied at the city’s seminary before earning a full scholarship to study theology in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States. It was only after graduation that he became an ordained priest in Guatemala, following which he also dedicated a lot of his time to the indigenous populations of the country. He became famous for his notable acts in ensuring that certain radio stations broadcasted in the Mayan language. In fact, by the time the 1970s rolled around, he had even gained government recognition.
In 1978, when General García became the President of Guatemala, many top progressive leaders were killed. In addition, Guatemala saw the rise of a repressive regime. Bishop Gerardi was quite vocal about his activities. As a result, on an assigned trip to the Vatican, General García forbade his return to the country. After seeking asylum in various countries, he settled in Costa Rica. Soon after, General García was overthrown by General Ríos Montt. Even though this meant that Bishop Gerardi could return back to the country, political violence was far from over. Learning the truth of the atrocities committed on the indigenous communities in Guatemala, the Bishop released a report titled Guatemala: Never Again. This contained the number of people killed, those who were missing, and the people behind these heinous crimes.
Two months after the report was released in 1988, Gerardi was killed in his home’s garage. He was brutally beaten to death with concrete slabs. In fact, the attack on the bishop was so terrible that his face was actually completely unrecognizable – he was positively identification through his episcopal ring. In other words, he was assassinated. The Catholic Church within the country saw the dangers of the government and appointed the ‘Los Intocables’ to seek out the murderers. In 2001, Byron Disrael Lima Estrada, Byron Lima Oliva, and José Obdulio Villanueva were found to be guilty of the crimes. Father Mario Orantes, too was sentenced to prison for his proven involvement in the crime.
Three Army Officers and a Priest Were Found Guilty of Juan Gerardi’s Murder
It was on June 8, 2001, when Colonel Byron Disrael Lima Estrada, Captain Byron Miguel Lima Oliva, and Sergeant José Obdulio Villanueva were convicted of Gerardi’s murder. The former two are father and son. A priest by the name of Mario Leonel Orantes Nájera was also found to be an accomplice of this heinous crime, but because he wasn’t directly involved in the murder, he was given a lesser sentence. While the three army officials were eventually handed down a term of 30 years, which was later reduced to 20 years, the latter was only given 20 years and it was left unchanged. We should also mention that this case soon became known worldwide for not only the brutal offense but also the fact that military personnel were tried in a civilian court for the very first time, which set a precedent.
Byron Disrael Lima Estrada Passed Away in 2019
In the wake of the trial, a lot of information concerning Byron Disrael Lima Estrada’s involvement in various illegal activities came out. In fact, he was known to be the head of one of the groups that organized coups. Therefore, later on, he was even sentenced to prison for his involvement in wartime crimes. However, after serving more than two decades behind bars, he was released from prison in 2012 for good behavior. He was also known to be ill in the many years he spent in jail as a result of which he appealed for his early release – all his prior appeals on the case itself were denied. Seven years after his release, on December 29, 2019, Estrada passed away at the age of 78. The exact cause of his demise has never been clear.
Byron Lima Oliva Was Killed in Prison
While Oliva was sentenced for the murder of Bishop Gerardi like his father, he faced a more gruesome fate than his blood behind bars. After all, as per reports, he was killed in a fight with another inmate on July 18, 2016 – he was 46 at the time. The nature of his death, though a result of a squabble, is seen with some political regard. This is because the fight was intense, one that resulted in the death of 13 people and left many injured. Even handguns and grenades were allegedly used in the process. In the aftermath, his brother took to social media, urging people to see the involvement of the State in his brother’s death. We should mention that José Obdulio Villanueva was also killed in a prison riot – though, this happened in 2003.
Mario Orantes Leads a Quiet Life Today
Father Mario Orantes was the housemate and fellow clergyman of Bishop Gerardi. He was in the house when the crime took place. Though he reported the death, he was later considered as a suspect. That’s because blood spots in front of his room were found to have been cleaned under forensic tests. He always maintained the stance that he was innocent throughout the course of the trial, but to no avail. It’s also imperative to note that while there are stories revolving around Orantes and his various sexual encounters, some hinting at the fact that he is gay, nothing has been proven yet. It’s this angle that has forced people to maintain the view that Bishop Gerardi may have been killed as a result of this. Nevertheless, all we know for sure is that Orantes’ sentence concluded a few years ago, and he has since seemingly preferred to stay away from the limelight.
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