257:, and lawyer Mario Aguirre Godoy when the group entered the embassy. The protesters announced that they had come to peacefully occupy the embassy and that they would hold a press conference at noon. They presented the ambassador with a letter that read in part, "We ... direct ourselves to you because we know you are honorable people who will tell the truth about the criminal repression suffered by the peasants of Guatemala." In 1978 an occupation of the Swiss Embassy by factory workers in a labour dispute had ended with a peaceful resolution.
274:. Despite pleas by the Spanish ambassador to negotiate, a decision was taken to forcibly expel the group occupying the embassy. Shortly before noon, and before the protesters could air their grievances, about 300 armed state agents surrounded the building and cut the electricity, water and telephone lines. SWAT police proceeded to occupy the first and third floors of the building over the shouts of the ambassador that they were
319:," had "sacrificed the hostages and immolated themselves afterward." Ambassador Cajal denied the claims of the Guatemalan government and Spain immediately terminated diplomatic relations with Guatemala, calling the action a violation of "the most elementary norms of international law." Relations between Spain and Guatemala were not normalized until September 22, 1984.
303:
withdrawn. Shortly thereafter a band of twenty armed men masked with bandanas, widely believed to be plainclothes members of the
Judicial Police, entered the hospital and kidnapped Gregorio Yuja Xona. He was taken to an unknown location, tortured, and shot dead. His body was dumped on the campus of the
286:
and Jorge
Palmieri, contend that it was the Molotov cocktails alone that started the blaze. Exactly how the fire started and who is responsible for it has been the subject of considerable controversy. As fire consumed the second floor and the demonstrators and captive staff of the embassy were burned
356:
On
January 20, 2015, former SWAT police chief Pedro García Arredondo was sentenced to 40 years in prison for murder and crimes against humanity, for ordering that no one should be allowed to get out of the burning building alive. He was also sentenced to 50 additional years for killing two students
302:
Ambassador Cajal y López survived by escaping through a window. The only other survivor, demonstrator
Gregorio Yujá Xona, suffered third-degree burns. Both were sent to Herrera Llerandi Hospital for treatment. On February 1, at 7:30 a.m., the police guard at Herrera Llerandi Hospital was
307:. Around his neck was a placard with a note that read "Brought to Justice for Being a Terrorist" and "The Ambassador will be next." Ambassador Cajal y López escaped the hospital with the assistance of other members of the diplomatic corps and eventually fled the country.
361:(Policía Nacional, PN), was already serving a 70 year prison sentence after being found guilty in 2012 of ordering the enforced disappearance of agronomy student Édgar Enrique Sáenz Calito during the country’s long-running internal armed conflict,
281:
An order was given to charge the ambassador’s office. Police breached the office door and introduced a substance, most likely white phosphorus, which together with the
Molotov cocktails ignited a fire. Some academics and critics, including
234:
At 11:05 in the morning on
January 31, 1980, the peasants, joined by workers and students, entered the Spanish Embassy in Guatemala City. According to police reports, some of the demonstrators were armed with machetes, pistols and
352:
On
January 30, 2009, the eve of the 29th anniversary of the incident, the Guatemalan government filed 3,350 criminal complaints alleging human rights violations against former soldiers and paramilitaries.
315:
The
Guatemalan government issued a statement claiming that its forces had entered the embassy at the request of the Spanish Ambassador, and that the occupiers of the embassy, whom they referred to as "
169:
and their allies and the subsequent police raid that resulted in a fire which destroyed the embassy and left 37 people dead. The incident has been called "the defining event" of the
245:
was considered sympathetic to the indigenous cause, especially after the
Guatemalan Army came to be suspected of the murder of Spanish priests in the indigenous regions. Ambassador
856:
816:
278:
in doing so. The peasants barricaded themselves, along with the captive embassy staff and the visiting
Guatemalan officials, in the ambassador's office on the second floor.
364:
The names of those who died in the burning of the Spanish embassy are commemorated in Guatemala City's main square, along with other victims of the Guatemalan Civil War.
801:
708:
851:
287:
alive, police refused pleas from bystanders to allow firefighters to combat the blaze. A total of 37 people died in the fire, including former vice president
791:
821:
746:
846:
841:
396:
Myrna Ivonne Wallace Fuentes, "The Spanish Embassy Occupation and Assault: History and the Partisan Politics of Memory Since 1980 in Guatemala,"
342:
636:
611:
476:
451:
358:
304:
129:
333:
filed a criminal complaint in Spain accusing former government officials of responsibility for the incident, including former Presidents
836:
831:
669:
586:
561:
515:
718:
249:, who had visited the Ixil and Kiche regions in the previous weeks, was holding a meeting with former vice president of Guatemala
806:
786:
299:-winner. Spanish Consul Jaime Ruiz del Árbol also died in the fire, along with other Spanish citizens employed by the embassy.
534:
373:
357:
at the funeral for the embassy fire victims. Prior to this conviction, Arredondo, who later became chief of the now-defunct
263:
796:
378:
811:
283:
154:
214:) and a radical student organization known as the Robin García Revolutionary Student Front, groups associated with the
781:
401:
271:
166:
91:
826:
776:
246:
219:
158:
133:
52:
211:
322:
Hundreds attended the funeral of the victims, and a new guerilla group was formed commemorating the date, the
194:
peasant farmers, recruited for a march to Guatemala City to protest the kidnapping and murder of peasants in
338:
254:
17:
267:
260:
223:
334:
685:
346:
199:
187:
170:
39:
226:
and their legal adviser was assassinated. On January 28, they briefly took over two radio stations.
330:
292:
275:
484:
291:, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Adolfo Molina Orantes and activist Vicente Menchú, father of
345:. In 2005, a Spanish judge issued an arrest warrant holding former Guatemalan Interior Minister
288:
250:
665:
632:
607:
582:
557:
511:
447:
296:
236:
661:
349:
responsible for the incident. Álvarez was last seen in Mexico and is considered a fugitive.
502:
203:
108:
732:
770:
654:
408:
266:, Guatemala City police chief Germán Chupina Barahona, and Minister of the Interior
402:
https://acontracorriente.chass.ncsu.edu/index.php/acontracorriente/article/.../978/
195:
191:
398:
A Contra Corriente: A Journal on Social History and Literature in Latin America
316:
162:
56:
713:
686:"Arrest Warrant Issued 25 Years After Spanish Embassy Fire in Guatemala"
747:"Guatemala: Former police chief convicted in 1980s disappearance case"
27:
Guatemalan attack on the Spanish Embassy in Guatemala City, Guatemala
656:
Paradise in Ashes: A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope
173:. Spain terminated diplomatic relations with Guatemala as a result.
510:. American Association for the Advancement of Science. p. 23.
206:. The peasants were organized, guided and joined by members of the
242:
504:
State Violence in Guatemala, 1960-1996: A Quantitative Reflection
629:
Taking Their Word: Literature and the Signs of Central America
604:
Taking Their Word: Literature and the Signs of Central America
444:
Taking Their Word: Literature and the Signs of Central America
579:
Time Among the Maya: Travels in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico
733:"Guatemala ex-police chief sentenced over embassy attack"
501:
Ball, Patrick; Paul Kobrak; Herbert F. Spirer (1999).
165:, on January 31, 1980, by indigenous peasants of the
606:. University of Minnesota Press. pp. 156–159.
125:
114:
102:
84:
66:
45:
32:
653:
120:(8 Spanish diplomats + 28 peasants and activists)
709:"Guatemala files 3,350 human rights complaints"
631:. University of Minnesota Press. p. 152.
446:. University of Minnesota Press. p. 161.
707:JUAN CARLOS LLORCA, Associated Press Writer.
8:
857:Terrorist incidents in North America in 1980
95:Members of the Embassy of Spain in Guatemala
817:Attacks on diplomatic missions in Guatemala
660:. University of California Press. pp.
535:"30 are killed in Guatemala Embassy Battle"
529:
527:
496:
494:
471:
469:
467:
465:
463:
222:). The protesters were denied a hearing in
18:Burning of the Spanish Embassy in Guatemala
29:
556:. University of Texas Press. p. 45.
409:"Guatemala comes to terms with its past"
802:Attacks on diplomatic missions of Spain
434:
253:, former Minister of Foreign Affairs
7:
852:January 1980 events in North America
688:. Voice of America. February 1, 2005
483:. February 11, 1980. Archived from
216:Ejército Guerrillero de los Pobres
153:) refers to the occupation of the
25:
749:. Amnesty Intertional. 2012-08-22
792:Human rights abuses in Guatemala
822:1980 in international relations
407:Cai:stor, Nick (July 8, 2006).
326:(Popular Front of January 31).
202:department, by elements of the
847:20th century in Guatemala City
552:Benz, Stephen Connely (1996).
541:. February 1, 1980. p. 2.
143:Burning of the Spanish Embassy
33:Burning of the Spanish Embassy
1:
379:2017 Guatemala orphanage fire
343:Óscar Humberto Mejía Víctores
324:Frente patriótico 31 de enero
581:. Grove Press. p. 110.
276:violating international law
264:Fernando Romeo Lucas García
186:In January 1980 a group of
167:Committee for Peasant Unity
92:Committee for Peasant Unity
873:
837:1980s murders in Guatemala
295:, a future politician and
220:Guerrilla Army of the Poor
212:Committee of Peasant Unity
208:Comité de Unidad Campesina
842:Guatemala–Spain relations
374:Guatemala–Spain relations
134:Armed Forces of Guatemala
37:
832:1980 crimes in Guatemala
305:University of San Carlos
147:Spanish Embassy Massacre
577:Wright, Ronald (2000).
539:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
251:Eduardo Cáceres Lenhoff
807:Arson in North America
787:Massacres in Guatemala
652:Manz, Beatriz (2004).
627:Arias, Arturo (2007).
602:Arias, Arturo (2007).
442:Arias, Arturo (2007).
145:(sometimes called the
72:; 44 years ago
255:Adolfo Molina Orantes
797:Guatemalan Civil War
311:Aftermath and legacy
268:Donaldo Álvarez Ruiz
247:Máximo Cajal y López
171:Guatemalan Civil War
151:Spanish Embassy Fire
70:31 January 1980
40:Guatemalan Civil War
812:Mass murder in 1980
782:Fires in Guatemala
735:. BBC. 2015-01-20.
554:Guatemalan Journey
335:Romeo Lucas García
827:1980 in Guatemala
777:Conflicts in 1980
638:978-0-8166-4849-8
613:978-0-8166-4849-8
477:"Outright Murder"
453:978-0-8166-4849-8
339:Efraín Ríos Montt
297:Nobel Peace Prize
237:Molotov cocktails
139:
138:
130:Guatemalan Police
16:(Redirected from
864:
758:
757:
755:
754:
743:
737:
736:
729:
723:
722:
717:. Archived from
704:
698:
697:
695:
693:
682:
676:
675:
659:
649:
643:
642:
624:
618:
617:
599:
593:
592:
574:
568:
567:
549:
543:
542:
531:
522:
521:
509:
498:
489:
488:
473:
458:
457:
439:
424:
422:
420:
331:Rigoberta Menchú
293:Rigoberta Menchú
121:
80:
78:
73:
30:
21:
872:
871:
867:
866:
865:
863:
862:
861:
767:
766:
763:
762:
761:
752:
750:
745:
744:
740:
731:
730:
726:
706:
705:
701:
691:
689:
684:
683:
679:
672:
651:
650:
646:
639:
626:
625:
621:
614:
601:
600:
596:
589:
576:
575:
571:
564:
551:
550:
546:
533:
532:
525:
518:
507:
500:
499:
492:
487:on May 6, 2008.
475:
474:
461:
454:
441:
440:
436:
418:
416:
406:
387:
370:
359:National Police
347:Donaldo Álvarez
313:
289:Eduardo Cáceres
272:National Palace
232:
204:Guatemalan Army
184:
179:
155:Spanish Embassy
132:
119:
109:State terrorism
105:
98:
94:
76:
74:
71:
62:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
870:
868:
860:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
784:
779:
769:
768:
760:
759:
738:
724:
721:on 2020-07-27.
699:
677:
670:
644:
637:
619:
612:
594:
587:
569:
562:
544:
523:
516:
490:
459:
452:
433:
432:
431:
430:
426:
425:
404:
393:
392:
388:
386:
383:
382:
381:
376:
369:
366:
312:
309:
231:
228:
183:
180:
178:
175:
159:Guatemala City
137:
136:
127:
123:
122:
116:
112:
111:
106:
103:
100:
99:
97:
96:
88:
86:
82:
81:
68:
64:
63:
61:
60:
53:Guatemala City
49:
47:
43:
42:
35:
34:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
869:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
788:
785:
783:
780:
778:
775:
774:
772:
765:
748:
742:
739:
734:
728:
725:
720:
716:
715:
710:
703:
700:
687:
681:
678:
673:
671:0-520-24016-2
667:
663:
658:
657:
648:
645:
640:
634:
630:
623:
620:
615:
609:
605:
598:
595:
590:
588:0-8021-3728-8
584:
580:
573:
570:
565:
563:0-292-70840-8
559:
555:
548:
545:
540:
536:
530:
528:
524:
519:
517:0-87168-630-9
513:
506:
505:
497:
495:
491:
486:
482:
478:
472:
470:
468:
466:
464:
460:
455:
449:
445:
438:
435:
428:
427:
414:
410:
405:
403:
399:
395:
394:
390:
389:
384:
380:
377:
375:
372:
371:
367:
365:
362:
360:
354:
350:
348:
344:
340:
336:
332:
327:
325:
320:
318:
310:
308:
306:
300:
298:
294:
290:
285:
279:
277:
273:
269:
265:
262:
258:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
238:
229:
227:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
201:
197:
193:
189:
181:
176:
174:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
135:
131:
128:
124:
117:
113:
110:
107:
101:
93:
90:
89:
87:
83:
69:
65:
58:
54:
51:
50:
48:
44:
41:
36:
31:
19:
764:
751:. Retrieved
741:
727:
719:the original
712:
702:
692:February 18,
690:. Retrieved
680:
655:
647:
628:
622:
603:
597:
578:
572:
553:
547:
538:
503:
485:the original
480:
443:
437:
419:February 18,
417:. Retrieved
412:
397:
363:
355:
351:
328:
323:
321:
314:
301:
280:
259:
241:
233:
215:
207:
185:
150:
146:
142:
140:
126:Perpetrators
400:Fall 2012:
284:David Stoll
270:met in the
118:37 hostage
104:Attack type
771:Categories
753:2022-01-18
385:References
317:terrorists
218:(EGP, the
182:Background
77:1980-01-31
329:In 1999,
261:President
163:Guatemala
57:Guatemala
714:Fox News
429:Specific
413:BBC News
368:See also
230:Incident
224:Congress
196:Uspantán
46:Location
38:Part of
391:General
188:K'iche'
177:History
149:or the
75: (
668:
635:
610:
585:
560:
514:
450:
200:Quiché
115:Deaths
85:Target
508:(PDF)
415:. BBC
243:Spain
198:, in
694:2009
666:ISBN
633:ISBN
608:ISBN
583:ISBN
558:ISBN
512:ISBN
481:Time
448:ISBN
421:2009
341:and
192:Ixil
190:and
141:The
67:Date
157:in
773::
711:.
664:.
662:95
537:.
526:^
493:^
479:.
462:^
411:.
337:,
239:.
161:,
55:,
756:.
696:.
674:.
641:.
616:.
591:.
566:.
520:.
456:.
423:.
210:(
79:)
59:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.