San Juan Cotzal

San Juan Cotzal is a large village in the Guatemalan department of El Quiché. The administrative center is the eponymous village of San Juan Cotzal.

Population

San Juan Cotzal is mainly occupied by Ixil. In 2002, the municipality had a population of 20,050 people.

History

Between 1982 and 1983 the army operations Victoria 82 and Firmeza are in the course have 83 in San Juan Cotzal, San Gaspar Chajul and Santa María Nebaj occurred eleven massacres with 1,171 people killed and 1,485 raped women. In January 2012, the case against the former dictator Efraín Ríos Montt was opened as a main responsibility.