Judge's house set ablaze after eviction of woman in Nebaj, Guatemala
On 30 July 2026, police in Nebaj, Quiché, Guatemala carried out a judicial eviction order against Juana Santiago Chel, a woman in her seventies, after a dispute with her son Pedro Santiago López. The order was issued by Judge Ada Madaí López Morales of the First‑Instance Civil Court in Santa María Nebaj. During the operation, the woman was forcibly removed from her home and suffered minor injuries.
The forced removal sparked outrage among residents. Hundreds gathered, and later that night a crowd set fire to Judge López Morales’s house in protest. Firefighters arrived but were initially blocked by the crowd before finally extinguishing the blaze, which caused significant property damage.
Guatemalan authorities, including the Organismo Judicial, issued a statement condemning the intimidation and pledging protection for the judge. The Colegio de Abogados y Notarios de Guatemala (CANG) also called for a transparent investigation into both the eviction and the subsequent arson.
Entities: Ada Madaí López Morales · Ada Madaí López de Villatoro · Colegio de Abogados y Notarios de Guatemala (CANG) · Juana Santiago Chel · National Civil Police (PNC) · Nebaj · Nebaj, Quiché, Guatemala · Organismo Judicial (OJ) · Policía Nacional Civil · Quiché · Quiché Department
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Organismo Judicial issued a statement supporting the judge and condemning intimidation. (OJ statement)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The eviction was prompted by a dispute with the woman's son, Pedro Santiago López. (son requested eviction)
- [● 6 SOURCES] After the eviction, community members set fire to Judge Ada Madaí López Morales’s house. (judge's house burned)
- [● 6 SOURCES] On 30 July 2026, police executed a judicial eviction order against Juana Santiago Chel in Nebaj, Quiché, Guatemala. (eviction of woman in Nebaj, Quiché, Guatemala)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The College of Lawyers and Notaries of Guatemala called for an investigation of the eviction and the arson. (CANG call for investigation)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The eviction order was issued by Judge Ada Madaí López Morales of the First‑Instance Civil Court in Santa María Nebaj. (judge issued eviction order)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Firefighters attempted to extinguish the blaze but were initially blocked by the crowd. (firefighters blocked)
- [● 3 SOURCES] During the eviction, Juana Santiago Chel was forcibly removed and suffered minor injuries. (woman injured during eviction)