Guatemala arrests Indigenous leader of 2023 protests, accusing him of terrorism

By Sonia Pérez D. GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemalan authorities on Wednesday arrested an Indigenous leader of nationwide protests in 2023 that sought to ensure then President-elect Bernardo Arévalo’s transition to power while also demanding the resignation of the country’s attorney general. The Attorney General’s Office accuses Luis Pacheco, now serving in Arévalo’s government, of terrorism and illicit association, according to an official who requested anonymity to speak about a case that a judge has declared under reserve. In October 2023, Pacheco led an alliance of 48 Indigenous communities in peaceful protests that shut down highways across Guatemala for three weeks. Despite Arévalo’s resounding victory that August, the Attorney General’s Office continued to investigate the election and members of his party, accusing them among other things of improperly gathering signatures…

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