Thelma Aldana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thelma Aldana
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| 11th Attorney General of Guatemala | |
| In office May 17, 2014 – May 16, 2018 |
|
| President | Otto Pérez Molina Alejandro Maldonado Jimmy Morales |
| Preceded by | Claudia Paz y Paz |
| Succeeded by | María Consuelo Porras |
| 55th President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala | |
| In office October 13, 2011 – October 13, 2012 |
|
| President | Álvaro Colom Otto Pérez Molina |
| Preceded by | Arturo Archila |
| Succeeded by | Gabriel Medrano |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thelma Esperanza Aldana Hernández
27 September 1955 Gualán, Zacapa, Guatemala |
| Political party | Semilla |
| Residence | Guatemala City |
| Awards | Right Livelihood Award |
Thelma Esperanza Aldana Hernández (born 27 September 1955) is a Guatemalan lawyer and politician. She served as the head of the country's highest court, the Supreme Court, from 2011 to 2012. Later, she became the Attorney General (chief prosecutor) of Guatemala from 2014 to 2018.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thelma Aldana was born in 1955 in Gualán, a town in eastern Guatemala. Her father, Humberto Aldana Vidal, worked in a pharmacy. Her mother, Marta Julia Hernández Garza, was a teacher in rural areas.
In 1982, Thelma Aldana finished her studies at the University of San Carlos in Quetzaltenango. She earned degrees that allowed her to work as a lawyer and a notary. She also has a special advanced degree, called a Master's degree, in Civil and Procedural Law.
Career in Law and Justice
Thelma Aldana began her career in 1981. She started as a janitor in a Family Court in Quetzaltenango. This shows how she worked her way up.
In 1999, she became a judge in a court that reviews decisions from lower courts. This is called a court of appeals. By 2009, she was appointed as a magistrate in the Supreme Court. This is the highest court in Guatemala.
She led the Supreme Court as its president from 2011 to 2012. In 2014, she became Guatemala’s Attorney General. In this role, she was the country's top legal officer. She took over from Claudia Paz y Paz. Thelma Aldana is married.
Fighting Corruption in Government
In 2015, Thelma Aldana led an important investigation. It looked into corruption within the government. Corruption means dishonest actions by people in power, like taking bribes.
She worked closely with Iván Velásquez Gómez. He was a commissioner from the UN's International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). This group helped Guatemala fight crime and corruption.
Because of their work, the President of Guatemala at the time, Otto Pérez Molina, had to step down from his position.
Presidential Campaign
In 2019, Thelma Aldana decided to run for president. She joined the presidential election with a new political party called Semilla. Her main goal was to fight corruption in the country.
However, on May 15, the Constitutional Court stopped her from running. This was because of accusations against her. Even though no proof was shown, her candidacy was rejected. Many believed these accusations were made to prevent her from becoming president, as she was a leading candidate.
Awards and Recognition
Thelma Aldana has received several important awards for her work.
In 2015, she won the Jaime Brunet Prize. This award is for promoting human rights. She received it from the Public University of Navarra in Spain. The prize recognized her efforts for women's rights and against violence toward women. It also honored her work for the rights of indigenous peoples and her fight against political corruption. The prize included 36,000 euros.
In 2016, the US Secretary of State honored her with an International Women of Courage Award. This award recognizes women around the world who show great bravery and leadership.
In 2018, she received the Right Livelihood Award. She shared this award with Iván Velásquez Gómez. They were honored for their special work with CICIG. The award praised them for showing how power was misused and for prosecuting corruption. This helped people trust public institutions again.
See also
In Spanish: Thelma Aldana para niños
- Beatriz Ofelia de León - The first woman to be president of the Supreme Court of Guatemala.
- Silvia Valdés - The third woman to be president of the Supreme Court of Guatemala.
- María Consuelo Porras - Another Attorney General of Guatemala.
- List of the first women holders of political offices in North America
