Exploited Labor: News & Updates

On February 7, 2024, President Arévalo signed the Acuerdo Agrario  (Agrarian Agreement) with Indigenous and rural farmer (campesino) organizations, committing his administration to resolving agrarian conflicts, improving access to land, strengthening campesino communities, and establishing a permanent dialogue space between the government and campesino organizations. More than two years have passed without meaningful compliance. The Committee for Peasant Unity (CUC) and the Highland Peasant Community (CCDA) have made repeated attempts to engage the government, including an open letter in May 2025, an emergency meeting in August 2025, a written request for an urgent hearing in November 2025, and a direct request for an audience submitted on March 13, 2026—all without a response. On May 7, 2026, the CUC filed a writ of amparo against President Arévalo for his failure to respond within the 30 business days required by Article 28 of the Guatemalan Constitution.

We are urging authorities to: (1) immediately halt extrajudicial evictions and ensure that any court-ordered evictions comply with international human rights standards protecting rural farming communities and (2) fulfill the commitments of the February 7, 2024, Agrarian Agreement, including establishing a functioning permanent dialogue speech with Indigenous and campesino organizations.

The Bajo Aguán Valley in northern Honduras became a center of agrarian reform beginning in the 1970s when hundreds of families relocated to these fertile lands under the promise of economic opportunity. But its vast size and high value for agricultural production made it a highly coveted place for various agro-industrial actors, namely for the production of palm oil. The struggle of campesinos to secure land in that area has historically resulted in violence from armed groups—both state and private actors. In the past decade, there have been more than 200 victims of armed conflicts arising from movements to reclaim farmworkers’ land in the Bajo Aguán region.

A horrendous massacre occurred on May 21 in the campesino community of Rigores. Gathered in prayer on a palm plantation to begin their workday,  campesinos were met by several heavily armed men wearing Honduran police uniforms (although it is unclear whether the perpetrators were actually state security forces or private actors). They opened fire, killing all 20 (including five who were minor children of some of the workers).

The legal persecution and violence waged on Indigenous farming communities is chronic in Guatemala. The current government indicated that there might be a change coming when it met with CUC (Committee of Campesino Unity) and other land rights groups and drew up an agreement called the Acuerdo Agrario (Agrarian Agreement), signed by President Arévalo on February 7, 2024. Still, the government continues to file undounded criminal charges of usurpation against Indigenous campesinos, filing more than 8,429 cases in the last six years. With only 1% ultimately resulting in any form of conviction, this demonstrates that most of them do not have any basis. Disputes over rights to Indigenous lands also result in deadly violence; 15-25 people are being killed every year. 

Working for the organization Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC), José Acté has been an important leader and defender of Indigenous rights. On June 17, while returning home from work in the village of El Rancho, municipality San Agustín Acasaguastlán, Guatemala Department, he was stopped and arrested. He was unjustly accused of usurpation, theft, and aggravated robbery and put into detention. Because the government prosecutors did not appear at a scheduled judicial hearing this morning, his detention has been prolonged.

In our letter to authorities, we urged his release and dropping of the unfounded criminal charges.

Good News: Two weeks after our letter, a judge dismissed the case, ruling that it did not have sufficient merit to proceed. José Acté was greeted by friends and supporters as he left the courthouse, now a free man (for the time being). 

The risk to human rights defenders and community leaders in Cauca department is exacerbated by the presence of armed groups such as the “Iván Mordisco” dissident faction of the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and the ELN (National Liberation Army), which are vying for control of territory and the illegal economy in the region.

Two social leaders were killed on April 22. Milton Penagos and Edwar Rubiano Álvarez, two social leaders who were both killed on April 22, 2026. 

Milton Penagos was a union leader and public official from Sandtander de Quilichao in northern Cauca. He was in charge of planning for the public services company Emquilichao, a former secretary to the mayor, and vice president of the Sintraemquilichao union.  He was murdered in his home on April 22 under unknown circumstances.

Edwar Rubiano Álvarez, age 34, was a leader of the Micay Canyon Peasant Association and president of the Community Action Board of the Los Tigres village in northwest Cauca.  His body was found on a rural road between El Estanguillo and La Fonda in the municipality of El Patia on April 22.  Rubiano was promoting organizational processes with cocoa farmers, seeking the voluntary substitution of illicit crops in one of the most conflict-ridden areas of southwestern Colombia.