On March 18, 2026, the IAPL Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers published a report from an International Mission of Jurists documenting a pervasive “climate of fear” among legal professionals in Guatemala, with lawyers, prosecutors, and judges facing systematic harassment, arbitrary detention, forced exile, and criminal prosecution for carrying out their professional duties. The report …
In January 2026, a UN human rights expert warned that Guatemala’s upcoming judicial appointments represent a critical test for the country’s rule of law and democratic institutions. Margaret Satterthwaite, UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, called on Guatemalan authorities to end the criminalisation of justice operators, Indigenous leaders, human rights defenders, …
Twenty-three international human rights and legal organizations have expressed deep concern over the detention of Guatemalan lawyer Ramón Cadena, arrested on 10 November 2025 despite voluntarily participating in ongoing legal proceedings. Cadena, known for his long-standing work defending human rights and advising the student movement at the University of San Carlos (USAC), faces charges including …
Estuardo Sebastian Morales Forte, “An Entrepreneurial View of Judicial Capture.” Journal of Law and Courts, vol. 13, no. 1 (2025): 244–73. Summary: This is a case study of Guatemala’s judicial system, initially designed to be a pluralist model in 1984. However, it is now captured by political entrepreneurs who are undermining liberal democracy. The research warns …