Guatemala: Families Seek Justice for 3 Dead Biology Students

Six years after the death of three Guatemalan biology students, their families might finally see a glimpse of justice as the first hearing on the case is starting this Monday.

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On March 31, 2012, the biology students Juan Carlos Velasquez Marroquin, 24, Nahomy Lara Orellana, 20, and Angel Rodolfo de Leon Palacios, also 20, were found dead on lake Izabal's shore within the facilities of the Guatemalan Nickel Company (CGN) in El Estor, eastern Guatemala, while doing field research.

Guide and biologist Alfredo Lemuel Valle was the only survivor of the incident, but his declarations have proven to be controversial, rising doubts about his own version of the events.

Lemuel was supposed to take the three students to a canal in the CGN's property to see crocodiles as part of their field research when, according to him, the boat suffered an accident just six meters away from the shore and the students drowned, however he claimed all passengers but himself were wearing life-jackets.

Velasquez and de Leon were found dead in seated position close to each other, and investigations later showed they both had similar head concussions, suggesting the young men were probably beaten up before actually drowning. Also, none of the victims were wearing life-jackets when found, contradicting Lemuel's version, and people that know them say they were good swimmers that could have easily saved themselves.

Both the CGN and the students' university, the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG) filed several appeals to stop any investigation effort on the case, actually preventing it and exempting themselves from any responsibility.

According to Carlos Rodolfo de Leon, father of Angel, the judge of Puerto Barrios accepted Lemuel's declaration, supported by the CGN, and has helped them prevent any effort for further investigation.

Since the death of the students, the families of the victims have tried to take the case to trial, exhume the bodies and carry out a real investigation, but had been repeatedly blocked due to the shortcomings of the Guatemalan judicial system.

And this Monday, on the first hearing on the case against the CGN, the UVG and Lemuel, the trial was suspended because the university again filed an appeal arguing that Lemuel is a biologist employed by the CGN, and claiming their only relation was with the deceased students.