Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository August 2015 Elusive Peace, Security, and Justice in Post-Conflict Guatemala: An Exploration of Transitional Justice and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) Daniel W. Schloss The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Dr. Joanna R. Quinn The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Political Science Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd A thePasirst sofubmitt the Cedr iminoin partloialg fyul Cfiommonllment ofs the, D eferequirnsee amendn tsSe forcur theity deStudgreiee ins C Mommonaster of sA,rHtsuman Rights Law Commons, International Humanitarian Law Commons, International Law Commons, International © Daniel W. Schloss 2015 Relations Commons, Latin American History Commons, Latin American Languages and Societies Commons, Latin American Studies Commons, Military, War, and Peace Commons, National Security Law Commons, Other Political Science Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, Peace and Conflict Studies Commons, Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Commons, Public Administration Commons, Public Affairs Commons, Public Policy Commons, Social Policy Commons, and the Transnational Law Commons Recommended Citation Schloss, Daniel W., "Elusive Peace, Security, and Justice in Post-Conflict Guatemala: An Exploration of Transitional Justice and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG)" (2015). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. Paper 3037. This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ELUSIVE PEACE, SECURITY, AND JUSTICE IN POST-CONFLICT GUATEMALA: AN EXPLORATION OF TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION AGAINST IMPUNITY IN GUATEMALA (CICIG) (Monograph Thesis) by Daniel W. Schloss Graduate Program in «Political Science and Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction» A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of « Master of Arts Degree» The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario, Canada © Daniel W. Schloss 2015 ii ABSTRACT Guatemala has, until today, struggled to achieve security and justice following the end of nearly half a century of civil war in 1996. One specific institution, the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), has been implemented to rectify many of the Guatemalan state’s difficulties in establishing and maintaining the rule of law. In this thesis, I look to better explain CICIG’s role in Guatemala relative to security and justice in a post-conflict setting: I define CICIG as an institution potentially capable of building societal trust, and I explain how the inclusion of procedural justice within transitional justice can help it do that. I also explain CICIG’s transitional justice-based role, both institutionally and functionally. CICIG is afflicted with issues that have arisen in a post-conflict setting, after all. Finally, I analyze and discuss CICIG’s successes and drawbacks relative to both its organizational mandate and the goals of transitional justice, and I make recommendations on how CICIG and/or other similarly constituted institutions could be made to function more efficiently and effectively. Keywords Guatemala; CICIG; International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala; Comisión Internacional contra La Impunidad en Guatemala; Transitional Justice; Procedural Justice; CICIACS; Truth Commission; Trust; Truth; Acknowledgment; Retribution; Commission on the Truth for El Salvador; CEH; Historical Clarification Commission; REMHI; hybrid institution; United Nations; Guatemalan genocide; Mayan genocide; Efraín Ríos Montt; Claudia Paz y Paz; Narcotrafficking; Transnational Drug Trade; Mexican Cartels; Colombia; Cocaine; Constructivism; Civil Society. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis would have been utterly impossible without the assistance of three people, and I am so grateful: My wife, Angie : Your love and support, in their various manifestations, have been the most critical piece of any and all success that I have achieved during this Master’s Degree and thesis program. In a more direct connection to the work at hand, our countless discussions about Latin American geopolitics have really helped me to conceptualize and understand the context of what I have been studying so intently. Eres mi mundo entero y te amo con una fuerza única y eterna. Gracias para todo que me has brindado. My father, Barry : Without your pride, support, and encouragement for my academic pursuits, I would have never even ended up undertaking this Master’s degree program, let alone the thesis alongside it. You inspire me with your hard work, patience, perseverance, and love. My thesis supervisor, Dr. Joanna Quinn : Your enthusiasm; constant willingness to discuss absolutely anything related to the thesis or life in general; and intellectual engagement with my thesis work provided me with the structure, motivation, and stimulation to complete this project. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................. iv Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ v I. Introduction: Guatemala, Transitional Justice, and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) ........................................................................... 1 I.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 1 I.2 Guatemalan Power Relations: A Necessary Consideration ........................................ 3 I.3 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 9 I.4 Literature .................................................................................................................. 11 I.5 Contingencies and Considerations............................................................................ 15 I.6 Organization and Main Arguments .......................................................................... 17 1. Chapter One: Procedural Justice: A Means of Enriching Transitional Justice ............. 22 1.1 Overview .................................................................................................................. 22 1.2 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 24 1.3 Procedural and Transitional Justice: Overlap but Lack of Recognition .................. 25 1.4 Theorizing a Role for Procedural Justice in Transitional Justice Literature ............ 27 1.5 Practical Interaction Between Procedural and Transitional Justice ......................... 31 1.5a Voice ................................................................................................................... 33 1.5b Neutrality ............................................................................................................ 35 1.5c Trustworthiness of Authority .............................................................................. 37 1.5d Treatment with Dignity and Respect .................................................................. 39 1.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 41 2. Chapter Two: Locating CICIG in Transitional Justice: Functions and Institutions ..... 43 2.1 Background .............................................................................................................. 43 2.2 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 45 2.3 Part One: CICIG’s Transitional Justice Functions ................................................... 49 2.3a Trials ................................................................................................................... 49 2.3b Justice Reform .................................................................................................... 52 2.3c Undercutting the Policy of Amnesty ................................................................... 55 2.4 Part Two: Locating CICIG Amonst Transitional Justice Institutions ...................... 57 2.4a CICIG as a “Follow Up” Truth Commission ...................................................... 59 v 2.4b CICIG and CTES: Strong Similarities ................................................................ 60 2.5 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 65 3. Chapter Three: Evaluating CICIG’s Successes and Struggles ..................................... 69 3.1 Overview .................................................................................................................. 69 3.2 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 71 3.3 Efficacy of CICIG: