Indigenous journalist Evelio López killed in Guatemala
Maya Mam journalist Evelio López was shot dead on October 2, 2026, in San Pedro Necta, Guatemala. The founder of Huehue es Noticias had publicly reported threats linked to his work since 2021, with complaints to authorities that saw no action.
Evelio López, a Maya Mam Indigenous journalist, was shot dead on October 2, 2026. The founder and administrator of the digital news outlet Huehue es Noticias was killed in San Pedro Necta, a town in the northwestern Guatemalan department of Huehuetenango. A private vehicle intercepted López and he was shot multiple times. He had publicly denounced a series of threats days before his death. López had been threatened since 2021 by people with political ties and had filed complaints with authorities that went nowhere. An active member of the Huehuetenango Press Association, he was also a sports journalist and commentator.
Authorities respond amid community anger
Following the killing, residents set fire to the local police substation and a house where a suspect was allegedly staying. The man residents hold responsible for López’s death works for the municipal government. That suspect has not been publicly named but had already turned himself in to the National Civil Police. A specialized criminal investigation team is working with the Public Prosecutor’s Office to identify and locate those responsible. Investigators processed the crime scene. The investigation remained ongoing with no suspect publicly identified.
APEHUE president Estefany Martínez said the association filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office unit specialising in crimes against journalists in Quetzaltenango. They asked the office to determine if López had previously reported death threats linked to his journalistic work. The association criticised that Public Prosecutor’s Office representatives did not arrive at the crime scene until the following morning, a delay they said may have affected evidence preservation. Following the killing, the specialised prosecutor’s office adopted protection measures for several journalists in San Pedro Necta.
Press freedom groups demand accountability
The Association of Guatemalan Journalists stated López faced constant threats over his reporting. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Guatemalan authorities to swiftly and credibly investigate the killing and determine whether López was targeted for his work. Jose Zamora, CPJ’s Regional Director for the Americas, said authorities must conduct a thorough, transparent investigation that considers López’s journalism as a possible motive. Zamora stated, "The killing of Evelio López, just days after he publicly said he was being threatened, shows how exposed Indigenous and community journalists in Guatemala are." He added that authorities must account for what was done with the complaints López reportedly filed over the years.
On October 3, 2026, the interior ministry, which oversees the National Civil Police, stated the motive for the crime had yet to be established. It called for allegations against possible perpetrators to be based on evidence.
Broader pattern of violence against journalists in Guatemala
López’s killing adds to a growing list of attacks on journalists in Guatemala. A colleague of López, speaking anonymously for security reasons, said he had talked for years about threats received by telephone and posted some online. The colleague said López linked some intimidating calls to political actors. Two other Guatemalan journalists described Huehuetenango as an area where drug trafficking, human trafficking, and local political interests intersect. Both said reporting on municipal management, public resource use, and possible corruption exposes journalists to risks.
Recent years have seen other deadly attacks. Journalist Ismael Alonzo González, director of Producciones Alonzo in Quetzaltenango, was killed on March 21, 2025. He had received threats possibly linked to criminal groups. Independent journalist Carlos Humberto Cal Ical was killed on April 26, 2026, in San Cristóbal Verapaz, Alta Verapaz. He covered municipal infrastructure, roads, and citizens’ complaints.
In 2026, Reporters Without Borders documented intimidation, restrictions on news coverage, and threats against journalists investigating local authorities, territorial conflicts, and public resource use in several Guatemalan departments. Guatemala ranks 128th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2026 World Press Freedom Index. The investigation into López's killing remains ongoing as authorities work to identify and locate those responsible.
