Tuesday, February 11, 2014

U.S. Citizenship Revoked From Former Guatemalan Soldier Involved In 1982 Dos Erres Massacre

Jorge Sosa Orantes

Orantes U.S. Citizenship revoked and sentenced to 10 years in a federal prison for fraud.

By H. Nelson Goodson
February 11, 2014

Riverside, CA - On Monday, Jorge Sosa Orantes, 55, originally from Guatemala was sentenced to 10 years in a federal prison for fraud and his U.S. Citizenship was also revoked. Orantes was ordered deported after he completes his sentence. 
Federal prosecutors presented evidence that Orantes was a Lieutenant in the military. A photo was entered into evidence and e-mails were also presented showing that Orantes continued to stay in touch with other former members of the Kaibiles. 
When Orantes applied for citizenship, he failed to disclosed his affiliation with the Kaibiles, Guatemalan special forces trained in jungle warfare tactics and counter-insurgency operations. The Kaibiles were involved in the December, 6, 7, and 8, 1982 massacre of 500 to 700 villagers living at Dos Erres, Petén in Guatemala. The government says that only 150 people were killed, but clandestine graves were discovered at the Dos Erres in the municipality of La Libertad where hundreds of bodies, including children were found. Family members of those murdered dispute the governments statistics and say that hundreds were killed and buried in clandestine graves.
The military Kaibiles brigade went to the villages during the internal armed conflict looking for weapons. People including children were tortured for several days and herded to two area where they were cold bloodedly massacre. There were a few survivors of the massacre. 
So far, two of the instructors of the Guatemalan Kaibiles special forces in 1982 were convicted and sentenced to life. Twelve others are still under investigation pending charges for the massacre. 


Video of survivors at link: http://youtu.be/ZLZOmo4WCJk

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