Impact of the inter-american human rights system in the fight against impunity for past crimes in El Salvador and Guatemala

Abstract

This chapter analyses the impact of the Inter-American Human Rights System (IAHRS) on the fight against impunity for past crimes in Guatemala and El Salvador. Impact is taken here to mean the influence—whether positive, negative or neutral—of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) in promoting greater accountability for these crimes. In essence, the chapter assesses the extent to which the IAHRS influences the realisation of victims’