GUATEMALA CITY (AP) 鈥� Guatemalan authorities on Wednesday arrested an Indigenous leader of that sought to ensure then President-elect Bernardo Ar茅valo鈥檚 transition to power while also demanding the resignation of the country鈥檚 attorney general.
The Attorney General鈥檚 Office accuses Luis Pacheco, now serving in Ar茅valo鈥檚 government, of terrorism and illicit association, according to an official who requested anonymity to speak about a case under seal.
In October 2023, Pacheco led an alliance of 48 Indigenous communities in peaceful protests that shut down highways across Guatemala for three weeks.
Despite Ar茅valo's that August, the Attorney General鈥檚 Office and members of his party, accusing them among other things of improperly gathering signatures required for the party to form.
has been the focus of much of that ire as she has refused to step down or halt her investigations into Ar茅valo鈥檚 party. The U.S. government has sanctioned her for allegedly impeding corruption investigations.
Ar茅valo said later Wednesday that the arrest was unfounded and 鈥渟purious鈥� and 鈥渃riminalizes principles and rights that are guaranteed.鈥�
Attorney Francisco Vivar said that federal agents had denied them access to the home where Pacheco was arrested and they had not seen him since his arrest.
Pacheco, a member of the K鈥檌che鈥� people, said at the time that the galvanizing moment for the community he represented was a raid on electoral offices broadcast live in which federal agents opened and took away 鈥� despite resistance from some electoral officials 鈥� boxes containing precinct vote tally sheets. 鈥淭he people already voted and you have to respect the decision taken,鈥� he said then.
After Ar茅valo took power, Pacheco was appointed as a deputy minister for sustainable development in the Energy and Mines Ministry.
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Sonia P茅rez D., The Associated Press
