Claudia Paz y Paz

Overview

Claudia Paz Y Paz Bailey born Guatemala June 7, 1966. Law professor and criminal and human rights lawyer. First Guatemalan woman Attorney General, 2010-14. Successfully prosecuted Rios Montt for genocide, 2013. Passed two laws against violence against women. Nobel Peace Prize nominee, 2013.

Quotations

“For the first time, the victims had the opportunity to tell what happened in the villages in front of the perpetrator. They could tell it in their own language, and by telling this, they recovered part of the dignity that was stolen when they suffered so many human rights violations. So when the judges said that he was guilty and that it was genocide and crimes against humanity, it was very important for the victims, but, I believe, also for all the country.” (Oct. 1, 2014 interview, Georgetown Institute For Women; photo panampost.com)