The facts of the case are related to threats and intimidations that began against Ms. Villaseñor in early 1994 and the lack of investigation around these incidents. As a judge, she had intervened in several cases involving senior members of the Guatemalan Army, accused for serious patrimonial crimes and violations of human rights.

The IA Court applied standards on judicial independence in view of the pressures exerted against judge Villaseñor, and examined the State’s responsibility -or lack of it- with regards to the participation of State agents in the events.