Guatemalan anti-corruption lawyer Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa killed in shooting
The former prosecutor was shot at a Guatemala City sports centre on October 17. Authorities detained two men but cautioned against conclusions about their responsibility.
Guatemalan lawyer and former prosecutor Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa was killed in a shooting at a sports centre in Guatemala City on October 17, Reuters reported in a dispatch republished by Hindustan Times. Police detained two men in connection with the case, while authorities cautioned that their responsibility had not been established.
Reuters reported that two men shot Solórzano Foppa while he was visiting the centre. Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias identified the location as Campo Marte in zone 5 of the capital and reported that Gustavo Adolfo Aguilar Gamarro also died in the attack.
What investigators have said about the shooting
Police reported seizing a carbine-style firearm and a motorcycle in connection with the case, according to Reuters. The detentions and seizures are early investigative steps; the minister cautioned against drawing conclusions about the two men's responsibility while evidence was still being collected and analysed, Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias reported.
The minister said preliminary lines of inquiry suggested that four people may have participated, with two detained. Investigators were examining security-camera video, ballistic evidence and witness statements, according to Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias. No motive had been established.
The detainees said they worked for a delivery application and were in the area for work, Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias reported. The minister said investigators needed to check that account against records and other evidence. Their explanation and the preliminary estimate of how many people were involved remain matters for the investigation.
Solórzano Foppa’s anti-corruption work
President Bernardo Arévalo condemned Solórzano Foppa's killing and said he had instructed government institutions to coordinate with the relevant authorities to solve the crime. ‘Both the direct perpetrators and those who ordered the crime must face the full weight of the law,’ he said in a statement quoted by Reuters. His reference to people who ordered the crime was a call for accountability, not an announced finding about who was involved.
Solórzano Foppa, 43, had headed the Criminal Investigations Directorate within Guatemala's Public Prosecutor's Office and led the country's tax authority, SAT, from 2016 to 2018, Reuters reported. In those roles, he pursued corruption cases and unpaid taxes involving powerful figures and businesses. His work had made him a prominent figure in Guatemala's disputes over corruption and the justice system.
In 2023, he briefly joined the defence team of journalist José Rubén Zamora. Reuters reported that Solórzano Foppa left the case after prosecutors accused him of obstructing proceedings and destroying or concealing information. He denied the accusation but accepted a plea agreement, saying he did not believe he would receive a fair trial.
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Sources and context
- Prominent Guatemalan anti-corruption lawyer killed in shootingReuters, republished by Hindustan Times
- Ministerio de Gobernación investiga asesinato de Juan Francisco Solórzano FoppaAgencia Guatemalteca de Noticias
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.