Sosa Orantes case: Canada shirks responsibility for crimes against humanity

QUEBEC CITY, Feb. 6, 2026 /CNW/ - Lawyers without borders Canada (LWB Canada) deplores the Canadian authorities' decision not to proceed with criminal charges against Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes, despite having all the necessary tools to do so. This former second lieutenant in the Guatemalan army, who has lived in Canada for nearly 40 years, participated in the Las Dos Erres massacre in 1982, during which more than 200 civilians, including many children, were killed. By choosing to terminate his status through administrative procedures--rather than prosecuting him for crimes against humanity--Canada is failing to meet its international obligations to fight impunity.

"All they're going to do is take away his citizenship and expel him. There will be no justice. In reality, nothing has really been done, or almost nothing. From my point of view, as a witness to the events, I see that there is no justice. What we wanted was for him to pay for his actions and be tried for his crimes." (free translation) -- Ramiro Osorio Cristales, one of the survivors of the Las Dos Erres massacre, now a refugee in Canada. He was 5 years old at the time of the massacre.

Too Little, Too Late

On February 5, the Federal Court of Canada stripped Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes of his Canadian citizenship for knowingly failing to disclose his military past in his immigration application; and declared him inadmissible for refugee status due to his participation in crimes against humanity committed in Las Dos Erres in 1982. This proceeding, which began in 2017, could lead to his deportation from Canadian territory without any assurance that justice will be served.

"Canada had a real opportunity to make the voice of international justice heard. By choosing not to prosecute Mr. Sosa Orantes for his actions, it abandons its commitment to the fight against impunity for international crimes." -- Karine Ruel, Executive Director of LWB Canada.

Yet Canada has a law based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows it to prosecute perpetrators of crimes against humanity, war crimes, or genocide, regardless of where these crimes were committed, or the nationality of the perpetrator; provided that the accused is present in Canada.

In the case of Mr. Sosa Orantes, the government deliberately avoided the judicial route, despite the legal tools at its disposal and the significant financial and time investment required for administrative proceedings. This choice is part of a broader context of inaction: the federal unit responsible for this program has not published a public report since 2015, revealing a serious lack of transparency and commitment to international justice.

Silence and Inaction Despite Repeated Calls for Justice

For several years, LWB Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Partnership for International Justice, has been stepping up its efforts with the Canadian government regarding the case of Mr. Sosa Orantes. The organization has submitted legal analyses, organized meetings with parliamentarians, and launched several public appeals for criminal proceedings to be initiated. Despite these sustained efforts, the government has remained silent.

"In the current climate, where the law of the strongest, political interests, and double standards pollute diplomatic conversations, it is more important than ever for states to fulfill the role they gave themselves in Rome in 1998: they must take concrete measures to close the spaces where impunity infiltrates and survives, including on Canadian territory. " -- Fannie Lafontaine, Director of the Canadian Partnership for International Justice.

Canada presents itself as a defender of international justice. It supports the investigations of the International Criminal Court and affirms that it will execute its arrest warrants, even against heads of state. The credibility of this role depends first and foremost on its actions within its own borders.

LWB Canada welcomes efforts to revoke citizenship obtained fraudulently. But this cannot replace a trial for crimes of such gravity.

About

Lawyers Without Borders Canada is an international cooperation non-governmental organization that has been working for 20 years to promote the human rights of people in vulnerable situations by strengthening access to justice and legal representation.

The Canadian Partnership for International Justice (CPIJ) is a Canada-wide initiative that aims to strengthen access to justice for victims of international crimes.

SOURCE Lawyers Without Borders Canada

Media Contact: Alex Lemieux, Communications Coordinator, [email protected]