Francisco Munguia, aged 68 years, was killed with a machete on 8 June 2018. He was one of the Xinca people and served as vice president of the his local branch of CODECA (Comité de Desarrollo Campesino) in the village of Divisadero Xalapán, department of Jalapa.

At the funeral held for Francisco, the local president of the organization, Ismael Munguia de la Cruz, described him as a humble person and true brother. Francisco had a small vegetable garden, and was on his way to go work in it when he was murdered.

In the month before Francisco’s death, six other human rights defenders in Guatemala were killed. In its communique, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint program of the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH:

“highlights with extreme concern the increase in the number of attacks and murders against defenders of land rights in Guatemala as reflected in the killings of seven defenders of the territory in less than a month, including the members of CODECA Mr. Luis Arturo Marroquín, murdered on 9 May n the department of Jalapa as well, and Messrs. Florencio Nájera and Alejandro Hernández on 3 June in Juitapa. During the same period three members of the Comité Campesino del Altiplano (CCDA) were murdered, Mr. José Can Xol, and Mr. Mateo Chamán Pauu, and Mr. Ramón Choc Sacrab. “