Guatemala | Guatemala: Fear is back

This year, on the anniversary of the October Revolution of 1944, the murdered lawyer and former anti-corruption prosecutor Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa was also remembered in Guatemala City. Photo: Imago/Anadolu Agency/Luis Vargas Mr. López, on October 17th, your former colleague and friend Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa was shot dead by would-be assassins at a soccer game. Why?

Many people in Guatemala are asking themselves this question, the majority of employees in and around the Ministry of Justice are asking themselves this question. There is a wave of fear going around here, everyone is warning friends and acquaintances, the fear of political instability and political violence is almost palpable. Especially among older people, memories of the 1980s and 1990s come to life and it is fitting that rumors are circulating that other activists are also being observed and threatened. One is Edgar Ortiz, who advocates reforms in the justice sector and is seeking a constitutional amendment - supported by an organization called “Citizen Force”. Ortiz posted a video to draw attention to the threat against him. I don't know whether the police responded.

The police and bodyguards were responsible for the safety of Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa. Did they fail?

There is no assessment of this to date. All investigation results are subject to secrecy, as ordered by the Attorney General's Office. That makes sense so as not to further fuel the simmering rumor mill.

In 2016 and especially in 2019, Orlando López was targeted by the “Pact of the Corrupt,” an elite network in Guatemala. Several proceedings were initiated against the lawyer, who left the public prosecutor's office in 2016 and has since worked for the Human Rights Office of the Archdiocese of Guatemala City (ODHAG). 

Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa has regularly posted videos on Tiktok and other channels about corruption and the connections of criminal gangs, especially the Mara 18, to politics. Could this be related to his murder?

Oh yes, that's not only possible, but probable. He was uncomfortable, criticized and pointed out grievances. This made him famous across the country!

Is there a message behind the murder...

The assumption is circulating. But that depends very much on who the client(s) are. There are witness statements that blame the Mara 18, one of the two major criminal gangs in the region and a long-standing criminal network with a wide reach.

Was Solórzano Foppa a risk for the Mara 18?

Yes, because he has repeatedly warned against the Maras making contacts in politics. But that happened. Mara 18 has established family contacts with the family of Sandra Torres, the leader of the UNE, the country's largest party. It is certain that Torres will run for the presidency again next June.

So the murder could have an impact on the election. Does the act put pressure on the government?

Yes, without a doubt and also the judiciary. We have so many problems in the justice system, co-optation, corruption, clientelism and much more, that the judiciary has lost independence, effectiveness and unity. Even at the highest courts, the Supreme Court Corte Suprema and the Constitutional Court, judgments are not always made independently according to the law; sometimes the judgments are already in the drawer. This does not apply to all judges; there are still many judges who cannot be used as tools, but it is undisputed that there are many corrupt judges in key positions.

Your friend and colleague also denounced this...

Yes, that's right and that's one reason why he was under police protection for years, and probably also a reason why he received sensitive information that others didn't.

Consequently, the judiciary has to investigate in several directions?

Yes, this is not an easy case. There are several witnesses who have testified. There are a whole host of motives and the case is something of a trial by fire for the prosecution.

Yes, because the government is under pressure and has not met enough of the immense expectations. The murder of a proven human rights activist and anti-corruption fighter like Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa creates additional pressure. Prosecutors and the government need to solve the murder quickly, but it will be complicated. There are also voices that see the military and police involved in the murder - we live in an unsafe situation.

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