Antonio Cruz Jiménez, originally from Valencia in Jutiapa, was a member of the Board of Directors of the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CODECA.) He was hit by a truck while on his way to a demonstration. In a statement, CODECA described him as «the first martyr [of 2018] to give his life for a Guatemala without corruption,» since he was run over «when he was taking part in the demonstration against the corruption pact.»

The protests were carried out by thousands of peasants in various regions of Guatemala. Demonstrators turned out in the departments of Jutiapa, Izabal, Quiché, Suchitepéquez and Retalhuleu, among others, to ask for the resignation of President Jimmy Morales for his inability to govern, as well as the resignation of congressional deputies for making what activists call a «pact of corruption», which if implemented would have blocked investigations into allegations of corruption for up to three years,  The campesinos also demanded the nationalisation of electric power in Guatemala.

A similar killing occurred in 2017 when a vehicle drove into a peaceful demonstration for the right to education, killing teenager Brenda Domínguez, and injuring others.