Leocadio Juracan, Indigenous Land and Rights Defender in Guatemala, Illegally Jailed in ilitary prison jail, by corrupted Attorney General’s office, police and military

Written By Grahame Russell

Below:

  • Summary by “Translocal Learning Network” on Leocadio’s capture at Guatemalan airport, August 13

  • URGENT ACTION by Breaking the Silence

Leocadio is a well-known land and rights defender, and a widely respected member of Congress (2015-2019). On and off over 20 years, Rights Action has supported the work of Leocadio and his CCDA organization, most particularly in response to the death and destruction that Hurricane Stan left in 2005. Here, a profile of Leocadio: “Leocadio Juracán Salomé: A story union activists must care about” (https://cupe.ca/leocadio-juracan-salome-story-union-activists-must-care-about).

Corrupted, U.S. and Canadian-backed President Jimmy Morales
The Translocal Learning Network points out that Leocadio’s capture is likely linked to his work to denounce the corruption and repression of Jimmy Morales, President of Guatemala from 2016-2020, who was supported and considered a “democratic allie” of the U.S., Canada and the West, and –for example– the global mining industry.

Please follow-up on letter writing Breaking the Silence is asking for.

Translocal Learning Network

From: Anne Harley <HarleyA@ukzn.ac.za>
Subject: RE: DETENTION OF LEOCADIO JURUCAN SALOME
Date: August 14, 2025

We wanted to let you know that Leocadio Jurucan Salome, a member of our Translocal Learning Network that is working on the book to be published by Daraja, and was to present with our team at the Transformations conference in Johannesburg next week, was yesterday detained at the airport as he was leaving from Guatemala City to fly to Johannesburg, South Africa.

We believe this is part of the larger criminalization efforts against his work as the head of the Indigenous peasant organization in Guatemala, Comité Campesino del Altiplano (CCDA).  

Leocadio has travelled outside Guatemala several times over the last month, and yet it is only now that he faced issued with his travels. According to CCDA and Breaking the Silence — a Canadian Solidarity network that has been working with CCDA for many years — this detention is not a coincidence.

Yesterday, an order of investigation against Jimmy Morales, the former President of Guatemala, was issued. Seeing as Leocadio had been part of legal actions that contributed to the launching of this investigation against this powerful man, the fact that Leocadio was detained today and not on his prior trips is not surprising. CCDA has been expecting retaliation, so though everyone is upset by this detention, they are not unprepared and are fighting the fabricated charges he is facing.

Leocadio is apparently being charged on 4 counts: aggravated usurpation, setting fire to protected forest areas, and 2 that remain unknown; but to our knowledge, Leocadio has not yet been formally charged in a court of law, and it is possible that these charges will change. The first charge is associated with criminalization of land contestation – a particular charge the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing identified as being used unfairly on land defenders, and called for a moratorium on its use. The second seems particularly spurious considering CCDA’s deep commitment to fighting forest fires. We are certain that these charges (and likely any others he is ultimately formally charged with) are fabricated and that this is in fact part of the criminalization efforts CCDA and Leocadio have been organizing against for years.

Last we heard from our partners in CCDA, Leocadio's first hearing was scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday. However, as has always been seen in all CCDA cases, the justice sector maintains a situation that takes time to intensify criminalization. The hearing has thus now been postponed until Thursday at 7 a.m. CCDA have been able to speak with Leocadio, to whom they have expressed solidarity and encouragement regarding this fight; and CCDA is working on getting lawyers for him in the hopes of getting him out on bail after he has been formally charged, whilst working to get the charges dropped.

There is concern by Breaking the Silence about the criminal justice system in Guatemala. International solidarity and statements in support of Leocadio for this unjust criminalization are thus extremely important to ensure that Leocadio remains safe whilst in custody. We are hoping you can help add to international pressure being organized by allies inside Guatemala and outside, by sharing this information and messages of concern and/or condemnation, with your networks, and whoever you feel is appropriate.

I am including the email from Breaking the Silence to show what support they are asking for in this situation.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Demand Release of Leocadio Juracán

From: BTS btscooperant@gmail.com
Date: Wed, Aug 13, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Subject: URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Email Officials to Demand Release of Leocadio Juracán

On August 13, Leocadio Juracán, Agrarian Reform Coordinator of the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA), was detained this morning at La Aurora Airport as he was leaving the country to participate in a Translocal Social Movement Learning conference in South Africa. 

Leocadio is being criminalized for his work as a land and human rights defender. He is currently facing multiple charges, including Aggravated Trespass (usurpación), directly related to his advocacy for Indigenous and campesino communities.

We need your immediate action. Please write to:

Send copies to Canadian officials:

In your message, please call on them to:

  • Release Leocadio Juracán immediately.

  • Ensure his protection until such time as he is released.

  • Follow recent UN Special Rapporteur advice to enact an immediate moratorium on evictions and grant amnesty for all criminalized land defenders.

  • End criminalization of the members and leadership of Indigenous and campesino communities and organizations.

Many of these government officials are Spanish speaking. If possible, write this letter in Spanish. Otherwise, you can also send it in English.

If you’d like to send it in Spanish, you may say:

Me dirijo a usted para exigir que:

  • Liberen inmediatamente a Leocadio Juracán.

  • Garanticen su protección hasta el momento de su liberación.

  • Sigan las recomendaciones recientes del Relator Especial de la ONU de declarar una moratoria inmediata de los desalojos forzados y de otorgar la amnistía a todos los defensores criminalizados.

  • Pongan fin a la criminalización de los miembros y líderes de las comunidades y organizaciones indígenas y campesinas.

After you write this email, please share with friends and contacts. Thank you for your urgent support to help get Leocadio Juracán free.

In solidarity,

Martha
Cooperant Coordinator / Coordinadora del Programa de Cooperantes
Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network / 
Red Marítima-Guatemala Rompiendo el Silencio
btscooperant@gmail.com / https://www.breakingthesilenceblog.com

Grahame Russell
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