Case against killers of poet Roque Dalton dismissed

A court in El Salvador has dismissed the prosecution sought for the killers of Salvadoran poet Roque Dalton. The revolutionary poet was killed in 1975 by fellow guerrillas.

According to the Washington Post, the judge in San Salvador ruled that the time limit for prosecuting the murder would prevent now opening this case:
The complaint named former Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front leader Joaquin Villalobos and Jorge Melendez, who serves in the current government as head of the civil defense office.

Melendez denied the accusation. Villalobos, however, acknowledged that rebel leaders ordered Dalton killed, reportedly after colleagues accused him of treason and being a CIA agent.

Judge Romeo Giammattei ruled Monday the 15-year limit on prosecution had passed.
Prosecution of Roque Dalton's killers has long been sought by his sons, who point to this case as another situation of impunity where a crime of the past was never addressed. Justice should be blind to whether crimes were committed by the army and government or by the guerrillas fighting against them.

Comments

Lawrence M. Ladutke said…
And Funes and the FMLN should be ashamed.
11:47 AM
Greg said…
As noted in an earlier post - "they" on both sides agreed to amnesty for war crimes because "they" knew how many of each other - on both sides - were guilty and that sooner or later voices would be heard, evidence would become available, Justice would be demanded.

What do you call it when the Assassins accuse the Assassin?
9:52 AM
Carlos X. said…
Fine if assassins accuse assassins, but what if the victims accuse the assassins? Many of those killed were unaligned civilians, like the victims of El Mozote. If the killers of the left made a deal with the killers of the right, is that binding on the innocents who were caught in teh cross-fire?
6:59 PM
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