A decision by Guatemala's top court to throw out the genocide conviction of an ex-dictator days after he was convicted is exposing weaknesses both in the case and the judiciary that tried it, critics said.

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - The trial of former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt has likely collapsed after the country's top court struck down his conviction for genocide, defense and prosecution lawyers said on Tuesday.

Lawyers on both sides said Gen. Efraín Ríos Montt’s entire trial would most likely have to be repeated before a new panel of judges after a court threw out his conviction.    

It's unclear what kind of retrial former dictator Efrain Rios Montt will face, or whether the nation's power brokers played any role in the high court ruling.MEXICO CITY — The Guatemalan high court's decision to annul the genocide conviction of former military dictator Efrain Rios Montt on Tuesday revived questions about his responsibility for the slaughter of some 1,700 ethnic ...

Guatemala ruling could keep ex-dictator from prison, say victims, who blame politics