Photo: Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa.
The Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project is sharing on their Facebook page statements from the Maya and Xinka Indigenous Authorities of Guatemala, the Protection Unit for Human Rights Defenders – Guatemala (UDEFEGUA), the Forum of International Non-Governmental Organizations in Guatemala (FONGI), and a joint statement from international organizations following the murder of Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa in Guatemala City this past weekend.
News reports/context
France 24 reports: “Former anti-corruption prosecutor and high-profile lawyer Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa was killed by hitmen on Saturday, October 17, while playing soccer on a field in Guatemala City, in a crime that President Bernardo Arévalo strongly condemned.”
That article adds: “Two days before his death, he published a video in which he said that an operation allegedly carried out by mercenaries of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States in the city of Huité, in the department of Zacapa, to capture a high-profile drug trafficker caused the death of eight people from the town. according to him, without criminal links, in an incursion in which more than 100 ‘elements of the Army who activated their weapons at some point’ would have participated.”
Prensa Comunitaria also notes: “The last video he posted on his networks was on October 15 where he talks about the death of eight people in Huité, Zacapa. ‘My conclusion after analyzing the data we have is that it was an incursion by CIA mercenaries, supported by the Guatemalan army and carried out from the US military bases in Honduras,’ he wrote at the time of publishing the video.”
The Los Angeles Times further reports: “Foppa, who had state security because he had received threats, was recognized for his constant criticism of the management of former President Alejandro Giammattei and that of former Attorney General Consuelo Porras, and used to question the co-optation of justice.”
And the Spanish news agency EFE notes: “Solórzano, who served as director of Criminal Analysis (2013–2016) at the Public Prosecutor’s Office and head of the Superintendency of Tax Administration (2016–2018), gained notoriety for leading intelligence efforts in high-profile investigations, including key expert testimony in the ‘La Línea’ case that forced President Otto Pérez Molina to resign in 2015, and for taking on the defense of imprisoned journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín.”
Prensa Comunitaria comments: “Solórzano Foppa, 43, stood out as a lawyer who denounced cases of corruption, investigated gangs and organized crime.”
Democracy Now! interview with the mother of Juan Francisco aired this morning.
Statements shared by PBI-Guatemala
The statement from the Maya and Xinka Indigenous Authorities of Guatemala says: “As the Indigenous authorities of our peoples, we express our condemnation and indignation regarding the vile and cowardly murder of Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa—a man who, throughout his life and in the various roles he held, made meaningful contributions to the people of Guatemala.”
Their statement adds: “We demand that the government of Guatemala put an end to this wave of violence—a situation that is escalating against political contenders, even as we approach the start of the 2027 electoral process.”
The statement posted to social media by UDEFEGUA says: “With deep sorrow and respect, we join in the outrage over the murder of Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa—a lawyer and former public official who dedicated his efforts to the pursuit of legality and the fight against impunity in Guatemala. We reaffirm our solidarity with his family and loved ones, while also joining the call for the State to ensure a proper and transparent investigation into this crime.”
The statement from FONGI says: “We call upon the State of Guatemala and the relevant institutions—within the scope of their constitutional and legal mandates—to fully clarify these events and ensure an exhaustive, independent, and transparent investigation, with full respect for due process. It is essential that these investigations lead to the identification and establishment of all applicable criminal liability—covering both the actual perpetrators and those who may have planned, ordered, or facilitated the commission of these crimes—and that those responsible are brought to justice and sanctioned in accordance with the law.”
And the statement from international organizations says: “We call upon the international community to stand in solidarity with the family of Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa, to urge the State to clarify what occurred, and to ensure the protection of human rights in Guatemala. It is imperative that effective measures be taken to protect human rights defenders and to guarantee a safe environment where they can carry out their work without fear of reprisal.”
Additional statements
PBI accompanied journalist Carlos Ernesto Choc has also posted on social media: “Our condolences and strength to the family and close friends, from these ancestral Mayan lands of El Estor, Izabal.”
And the PBI accompanied FAMDEGUA has posted on social media: “The Assembly of the Guatemala Association of Family Members of Detained and Missing Persons (FAMDEGUA) and relatives of victims of the Diario Militar case mourn and condemn the heinous murder of Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa, grandson of Alaíde Foppa, a poet and social activist who disappeared under forced circumstances in 1980. We express our deep solidarity with his family and loved ones. We demand truth and justice for this crime.”
The Embassy of Canada
The Embassy of Canada in Guatemala has also posted on social media: “Today is a sad day for Guatemala. Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa was a brave man who fought for an impartial justice system, among others. Our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. His murder cannot go unpunished: to honor his memory is to demand justice and defend the democracy he served.”
Accompaniment
The statement from the Maya and Xinka Indigenous Authorities of Guatemala is posted on the Facebook page of the San Francisco Quezaltepeque Indigenous Community which is accompanied by Peace Brigades International.
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