Beatriz Ofelia de León

Beatriz Ofelia de León Reyes (born 12 January 1964) is a lawyer who served as the first female president of the Supreme Court of Guatemala (2005–2006).

Early life and education

Beatriz Ofelia de León Reyes was born in Guatemala City, on 12 January 1964. Her father was Mario De León, a lawyer, and her mother was Yolanda García, a homemaker.^{[1][verification needed]}

Career

De León was president of a labor appeals court (2000–2004). She has been a professor in Labor Law in the Rafael Landivar and Mariano Gálvez universities in Guatemala.^[2]

Siekavizza case

In July 2011, Roberto Barreda, Beatriz de León's son, was the main suspect in the disappearance and possible domestic violence murder of his wife, Cristina Siekavizza. It resulted in national news coverage focused on the connected issues of femicide and impunity. De León was arrested after being accused by authorities of threats and obstruction of justice.^[3] She was in pretrial detention for 17 months^[4] but didn't face trial after reaching an agreement and paying Q1,000^{[lower-alpha 1]} to the former Siekavizza housekeeper Olga Say Velásquez.^[5]

The trial against Barreda was expected to take place in April 2020. However, the Covid-19 pandemic prevented its realization and was later cancelled given Barreda’s death on August 6, 2020 from Covid-19.^[6]

Legacy

Beatriz de León made history by being the first woman who was president of the Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala^[2] but also by being an inmate in the high profile case in the disappearance of her daughter in law.

See also

• Thelma Aldana - Second female president of the Supreme Court
• Silvia Valdés - third female president of the Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala.
• List of the first women holders of political offices in North America

References

1. About 130 US dollars.

1. Toledo, Ricardo (2006). Presidentes del Poder Judicial: (1839-2006) [Presidents of the Judiciary: (1839-2006)] (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Guatemala: Organismo Judicial, Departamento de Comunicación Social, Guatemala. p. 22. OCLC 182624649.
2. "Beatriz de León primera magistrada de la Corte en Guatemala" [Beatriz de León, first female magistrate of the Court in Guatemala]. Cimac Noticias. 12 Oct 2005. Retrieved 11 Oct 2023.
3. "2011: Cristina Siekavizza es vista por última vez". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). 5 July 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
4. "Caso Siekavizza: Recobra su libertad exmagistrada Ofelia de León" [Siekavizza case: Former magistrate Ofelia de León regains her freedom]. Prensa Libre. 26 Mar 2013.
5. Román, Julio; Pitán, Edwin (30 Sep 2020). "Beatriz Ofelia de León no enfrentará juicio por caso Siekavizza" [Beatriz Ofelia de León won't face trial for Siekavizza case]. Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 Dec 2023.
6. Pitán, Edwin; Escobar, Irving (7 Sep 2020). "Caso Siekavizza: MP pide el cese de la persecución contra Roberto Barreda, fallecido por covid-19" [Siekavizza case: MP asks to stop the prosecution against Roberto Barreda, dead from covid-19]. Prensa Libre (in Spanish).