Anabella España Reyes, Abelino Salvador Mejía, Flavio Vicente and Virgilio García Carrillo are members of the Board of Directors for the Community Council of Retalhuleu (CCR), which is made up of more than 18 communities from the department of Retalhuleu, most of them located in the municipality of Champerico. The majority of the population are survivors of massacres and refugees from the Internal Armed Conflict (IAC) who had relocated to the South Coast. Therefore, the population is principally made up of Maya Mam, Ixil, K'iche' and mestizo people. The organization’s main objective is the defense of the territory, the rights to water, life and their continued ability to engage in small-scale agriculture in the South Coast region of the country.

The CCR was established in 2015, when the effects of the expansion of monocultures and the use of agrochemicals and pesticides on a large scale directly affected the family agricultural production of the surrounding communities, damaging the health of the inhabitants. Furthermore, the high consumption of water for sugarcane production led to water shortages in the communities.

As a result of this situation, a technical roundtable was held between state institutions and the communities of Retalhuleu, during which agreements were reached but were not subsequently complied with. This non-compliance led to a peaceful protest by the communities on November 24, 2017. This protest was used as an excuse to accuse the four HRDs of the crimes of coercion, threats and illegal detention. The complainant is a former worker of the El Pilar sugar plantation, and is acting as an adhesive plaintiff in the accusation. In December 2018, the defendants were notified of the accusation. The first hearing was held on August 23, 2019 and the assigned judge declared a lack of merit and released the accused. However, due to an appeal filed by the former El Pilar worker, and accepted by the Court of Appeals of Retalhuleu, the case remains open, although all hearings scheduled since then have been suspended for various reasons.

A hearing scheduled for October 22, 2021 in the Mixed Court of Retalhuleu led the court to indict the four defenders and to issue coercive measures.

During the hearing on September 21, 2022, which was meant to be the final hearing in the preparatory procedural phase, the MP presented accusations relating to the crimes of threats, coercion and illegal detention. The judge dismissed the cases related to the crimes of threats and coercion and indicted the defendants for the alleged crime of illegal detention, for which the substitutive measures were reactivated: house arrest, prohibition to leave the territory and to sign the register every 30 days. The lawyers requested the opening of the trial and the hearing for the presentation of evidence to be set for February 9, 2023.

In the months of October and November 2022, the four criminalized persons appeared at the office of the justice of the peace in Champerico to sign the register. On these two occasions the documents for signing the register had not been prepared, thus delaying the judicial process. In the first months of 2023, the signing of the register could take place on January 16, February 15 and March 15, which ensured compliance with the substitutive measures.

On February 9, 2023, a hearing was held to verify the evidence presented by both parties, which was accepted in its entirety. During the month of May, hearings were scheduled for the presentation of evidence on May 16, 17 and 18. On May 30, 2023, after more than five years of criminalization, the judge issued a ruling that acquitted the four people of the crime of illegal detention as there were no elements that could establish their participation in this criminal act, nor their participation in the peaceful demonstration as a result of which the process began. During the long period of criminalization, these four people saw their freedom of movement limited, which had an impact on their work as human rights defenders, as well as on their family economy and access to health care.