Capital punishment in Guatemala


Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Guatemala, and is carried out by lethal injection and, to a lesser extent, the firing squad. It is only in military codes of justice, and was abolished for civilian offences in October 2017.
As of April 2017, five executions had been carried out since 1983; all were broadcast live on television. The last executions took place on June 29, 2000, when kidnappers and murderers Amilcar Cetino Perez and Tomas Cerrate Hernandez were executed by lethal injection on live television.
From 2005–2012, the sentences of all 54 inmates condemned to death were commuted to life in prison. There are currently no inmates on death row in Guatemala.
Guatemala voted in favor of the UN Moratorium on the Death Penalty in 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. The country abstained from voting in 2008.
In 2017, Guatemala abolished the death penalty for civil crimes. Currently, the death penalty can only be applied in times of war.
The current President of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei, supports the death penalty. Jimmy Morales, president from 2015 to 2019, also voiced support for the death penalty.

Executions since 1983

Executed personDate of executionCrimeMethodUnder President
1Pedro CastilloSeptember 13, 1996kidnapping, rape and murder of a 4-year-old girlfiring squadÁlvaro Arzú
2Roberto GironSeptember 13, 1996kidnapping, rape and murder of a 4-year-old girlfiring squadÁlvaro Arzú
3Manuel Martinez CoronadoFebruary 10, 1998slaughtering seven members of a single familylethal injectionÁlvaro Arzú
4Amilcar Cetino PerezJune 29, 2000kidnapping and murder of businesswoman Isabel de Botralethal injectionAlfonso Portillo
5Tomas Cerrate HernandezJune 29, 2000kidnapping and murder of businesswoman Isabel de Botralethal injectionAlfonso Portillo