Guatemalan judge clears deputy minister and three Indigenous leaders of terrorism charges

A Guatemalan court has cleared Deputy Minister Luis Pacheco and three other Indigenous leaders of terrorism charges linked to protests in October 2023. The ruling was issued by the Third Criminal Court in Guatemala City and came after prosecutors asked for the case to be dismissed. The judge concluded that the four had not broken the law by organising the demonstrations.

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The defendants were accused over protests against a prosecutor who was alleged to have tried to block President Bernardo Arevalo from taking office. Alongside Pacheco, the case involved Hector Chaclan, Basilio Puac and Esteban Toc. Prosecutors had brought charges including illicit association, terrorism and obstructing justice, while Puac and Toc also faced sedition charges.

Pacheco serves as deputy minister of sustainable development at the Ministry of Energy and Mines. He had previously led the 48 Cantones of Totonicapan, a Maya Indigenous authority in the western highlands that has organised protests. The ministry said it welcomed the ruling and expected him back at work shortly.

The United Nations human rights office said the decision reaffirms freedom of expression and assembly and recognises legitimate Indigenous organising. The case is part of a wider political and legal struggle in Guatemala over the 2023 election and the transition to Arevalo's government. The prosecution was built under former Attorney General Consuelo Porras, who has faced sanctions from the United States, the European Union, Canada and other governments over corruption allegations, pressure on human rights advocates and efforts to undermine Arevalo's election win.

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Porras lost her bid for a third term in April after a judicial commission left her off its shortlist. Arevalo took office in 2024 after months of legal challenges from Porras's office, and his administration has made reversing such prosecutions a priority. The ruling also follows a broader pattern of cases involving Indigenous leaders, which the UN rights office said it has documented in Guatemala.

The court decision therefore carries significance beyond the four defendants, touching on the treatment of protest activity and Indigenous political organisation. What remains unclear is whether prosecutors will seek any further legal action after the dismissal. It is also not yet clear how quickly Pacheco will return to his post or whether the ruling will affect other related cases.

The decision is likely to be watched closely for its impact on relations between the government, prosecutors and Indigenous authorities.

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