United States calls for investigation into Guatemalan journalist's murder

The United States Embassy in Guatemala, alongside international press organizations, has called for a thorough investigation into the assassination of journalist Evelio Lisandro López Sánchez. The 34-year-old founder of the digital outlet Huehue es Noticia was shot and killed on October 2 in San Pedro Necta, Huehuetenango.

López Sánchez had reportedly received death threats related to his journalistic work prior to the attack. While authorities have not yet officially confirmed a professional motive, organizations such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Inter American Press Association (SIP) have urged investigators to prioritize the possibility that his work was the catalyst for the crime.

The killing sparked local unrest in San Pedro Necta, where residents protested by setting fire to a police substation, a home, and a vehicle linked to a suspect. The Association of Press of Huehuetenango (APEHUE) has filed a formal complaint and raised concerns regarding a delay in the arrival of the Public Ministry to the crime scene, which may have compromised evidence preservation.