International News: Guatemala ends criminal proceedings against Indigenous authorities

By Zoila Palma:  Amnesty International has welcomed a decision by Guatemala’s judiciary to close criminal proceedings against four Indigenous authorities who were charged following their participation in peaceful protests during the national strike in October 2023.

The case involved Luis Pacheco, Héctor Chaclán and Basilio Puac of the 48 Cantones of Totonicapán, and Esteban Toc of the Indigenous Mayor’s Office of Sololá. They faced charges including unlawful association, terrorism, obstruction of justice, sedition and obstruction of criminal prosecution.

Amnesty International said the proceedings were unfounded and linked to their work defending human rights and the rule of law.

“This unfounded prosecution and all the human rights violations it led to should never have happened. Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán should never have been imprisoned. This ruling is a first step towards ending the arbitrary actions against them,” said Astrid Valencia, Amnesty International’s Deputy Research Director for the Americas.

The organization named Pacheco and Chaclán prisoners of conscience in May 2026 after they spent more than 15 months in pretrial detention.

Amnesty International warned that the criminalization of Indigenous authorities for peacefully exercising their rights threatens Indigenous Peoples’ community organization and systems of representation.

The organization is calling on Guatemalan authorities to prevent further arbitrary prosecutions and ensure full reparation for Pacheco, Chaclán, Puac and Toc, their families and communities, including investigating and prosecuting those responsible for allegedly misusing the criminal justice system against them.

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