# Legal proceedings against Guatemalan indigenous leaders

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/legal-proceedings-against-guatemalan-indigenous-leaders
> Updated: 2026-08-14T16:55:54.000Z. Sources: 15. Developments: 2.

In Guatemala, former indigenous leaders Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán, who were arrested in April 2025, were granted house arrest by Judge Mynor Moto. The ruling requires each man to pay 160,000 quetzales in bail and prohibits them from holding public office. 

The leaders face charges of terrorism and illicit association related to the 2023 nationwide protests regarding election results. Amnesty International previously designated them as “prisoners of conscience” in May 2026, asserting they were detained for exercising freedom of expression and assembly. President Bernardo Arévalo described the judicial decision as a “step forward for democracy.”

## Timeline

### 2026-08-14: Guido Perugachi ordered into preventive detention in Ecuador

Ecuadorian judge Mery Maza Puma ordered preventive detention for Fenocin leader Guido Perugachi for allegedly instigating public service disruptions during 2025 diesel subsidy protests.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/guido-perugachi-ordered-into-preventive-detention-in-ecuador

### 2026-08-04: Guatemala's Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán Placed Under House Arrest

Guatemala’s Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán were placed under house arrest with 160,000 quetzal bail each, ending preventive detention but still facing charges from 2023 protests.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/guatemala-judge-releases-former-indigenous-leader-luis-pacheco-bars-him-from-public-office

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Cite as: Legal proceedings against Guatemalan indigenous leaders. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/legal-proceedings-against-guatemalan-indigenous-leaders