37
Maldonado Silvestre, nor of Florencia, Andrés, Martalia, Atilana and Rolando, all of whom
bear the family name of Hernández Maldonado.
127. With respect to the deaths of Santiago Maquín Quip and Rosendo Morales Ortíz, in
view of the foregoing (supra para. 125) State responsibility cannot be presumed for harm
to the personal integrity of their next of kin. There is neither evidence nor arguments that
show any type of harm caused to their next of kin because of their injuries. Therefore, it
is not proper, in relation to the injuries suffered by those two persons, to declare an
infringement to the right to personal integrity to the detriment of Manuela Pop Choc,
Francisco Quip Choc, Petrona Quip Pop, Margarita Quip Pop, Martín Maquín Quip Pop,
Dominga Maquín Pop, Santiago Quip Pop and José Morales Ortíz.
128. There remain the arguments that connect the right to personal integrity of the next
of kin of the deceased and injured persons to the juridical proceedings. Those proceedings
made it possible to determine what occurred and to establish responsibilities and no
elements exist that would permit the Court to conclude that the fact, in and of itself, that
some persons are fugitives from justice might have caused harm to personal integrity.
With regard to the alleged fear because of the release of the soldiers (supra footnote 158),
the Court considers that responsibility cannot be attributed to the State for that situation
and it refers to what was concluded with respect to the rights to judicial guarantees and
judicial protection (supra paras. 86 and 87), also recalling what was concluded with
respect to provisional measures (supra para. 10 and footnote 7).
129. The Court, thus, declares that Guatemala violated the right to personal integrity of
the direct family members of the deceased victims of the massacre that occurred on
October 5, 1955, infringing to their detriment Article 5(1) of the American Convention,
read in conjunction with Article 1(1) thereof. The names of the victims of this violation
are listed in Annex B(5) of this judgment, of which it forms part.
VII.4
ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY194
A.
Arguments of the parties
130. The Commission did not allege a violation of the right to private property.
131. The representative maintained that the right to private property was violated to
the detriment of all persons indicated as victims, due to the entry of the Army without a
judicial order.
132. The State claimed that there was no act of appropriation or usury regarding the
goods of the members of the Community. It maintained that it was not responsible for
violating Article 21 of the Convention.
Article 21 of the Convention reads: “1. Everyone has the right to the use and enjoyment of his property.
The law may subordinate such use and enjoyment to the interests of society. 2. No one shall be deprived of
his property except upon payment of just compensation, for reasons of public utility or social interest, and in
the cases and according to the forms established by law. 3. Usury and any other form of exploitation of man
by man shall be prohibited by law.”
194