Cifuentes Cano sentenced to 50 years in prison for forced disappearance1

On September 17, 2026, more than 44 years after the crimes in question were committed and following 42 hearings held between May and September of this year, the Eighth Criminal Sentencing Court sentenced the ex-commander of the Special Operations Reaction Battalion (BROE), Juan Francisco Cifuentes Cano, to a total of 50 years in prison, without the possibility of commuting the sentence (25 years for each victim), for the forced disappeara

We present our new Bulletin no. 55 which contains the following articles: The Peaceful Resistance La Puya prevents the state’s
economic collapse – Seeds in dispute: the battle for food sovereignty in Guatemala – News of our work: Women potters fighting for the rights of the Poqomam people in Chinautla.

Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán released after more than 15 months in pretrial detention

On August 5, Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán, the former president and treasurer of the 48 Cantones of Totonicapán, were released after spending 468 days in pretrial detention at the Mariscal Zavala prison. The Third Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Mynor Moto, replaced pretrial detention with house arrest and a fine of Q160,000 each. Pacheco and Chaclán must report periodically to the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) and may not leave the country without judicial authorization.

USAC: Irregularities continue under Walter Mazariegos’s disputed leadership

Re-election at the USAC: A New Chapter in the University Governance Crisis

The process to elect the president of the University of San Carlos (USAC) offers a glimpse into the complicated situation of the rule of law in Guatemala. On April 8, Walter Mazariegos was re-elected despite strong and widespread concerns about the legality of the process.

Civil society’s demands for the new Attorney General

On Saturday, May 16, Consuelo Porras’s highly contentious term as Attorney General and head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) came to an end. Following this transition, indigenous authorities from the Maya and Xinka peoples issued a statement calling on the new Attorney General, Gabriel Estuardo García Luna, to change course and root out deeply troubling corruption within the MP.

UDEFEGUA releases its 2025 annual report on the situation of human rights defenders

This month, the Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders of Guatemala (UDEFEGUA) released its report on the situation of human rights defenders in 2025. They recorded a total of 5,238 attacks, representing a 26.71% increase compared to 2024. More than 90% of the attacks recorded occurred digitally, primarily through social media.

Our Annual Report compiles the main events that have shaped PBI Guatemala’s work in the last year. We hope they contribute to make visible the important work of women and men who defend human rights in Guatemala.

OHCHR releases its report on the human rights situation in Guatemala

In early March, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) published its report on the situation in Guatemala, highlighting progress made in terms of equality, non-discrimination, and sustainable and inclusive development. However, concerns remain regarding violations of women’s and indigenous peoples’ rights. Discrimination and systemic racism continue to impact the full enjoyment of the rights of indigenous peoples, Garifuna, and people of African descent.

March 22nd is World Water Day. This year, representatives from Guatemala’s diverse indigenous peoples and territories presented their findings and demands regarding the water situation to the government of Bernardo Arévalo. This was the result of 24 assemblies for water and life, held during the first quarter of the year in different regions. Over 600 people from more than 35 community organizations, including ancestral authorities, participated in these assemblies.