Duel with the Devil

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Duel with the Devil is a provocative story through the streets of Guatemala City in an attempt to improve that nation's dismal rate of convictions - less than 15 out of 5,000 murders. Duel with the Devil film explores the justice system in Guatemala, a country in the grip of perpetual violence. Since the overthrow of the government by the CIA in the early 1950's injustice, human rights abuses and murder have become the norm in Guatemalan society. But the level of violence has reached a level equal to the violence during the armed conflict. In 2004, there were more than 5,300 murders but less than 15 convictions. In the eyes of the Guatemalans, the justice system is associated with fear, mistrust and intimidation. Now an elite group of Guatemalan prosecutors and homicide detectives are trying to change this with an assault against the cabal of evil. Armed with forensic training from the RCMP, they are setting out to fundamentally change the judicial system. Duel With The Devil is a documentary that follows a special homicide task force including members of the RCMP through the streets of Guatemala City as they tackle the thousands of homicides that occur every year. But it is also a human story about individuals who confront violence on a daily basis and risk their lives - just by seeking justice. Duel With The Devil has access to areas rarely seen even by Guatemalans and we meet both with victims and the perpetrators.