Pablo Villeda, a prominent Guatemala City lawyer, has assumed the role of director of IJM Guatemala. In his new position, Villeda will work with Guatemalan authorities and referral partners to investigate and prosecute cases of sexual abuse, domestic violence, exploitative working conditions and commercial sexual exploitation of children and women. Prior to IJM, Villeda worked alongside his father as an attorney with a focus on family law and contract dispute. He is also a professor at the Universidad Rafael Landivar in Guatemala. Of his new position, Villeda says: “IJM Guatemala is already doing good work and making a contribution for justice in our country. My expectations are high for becoming part of this great team and adding to the existing history of successful cases.”

Villeda assumes leadership of the Guatemala office on the heels of several recent court victories. IJM lawyers in Guatemala secured a conviction in the first case they tried after opening in 2005. The case of Tomás Perez was tried over a period of several months before Perez was convicted and sentenced to 12 years for raping his daughter. Additionally, IJM Guatemala recently won a conviction in the case of Paul Farrell, an Irish expatriate convicted of sexual abuse.