Guatemala: RSF calls for an investigation into the murder of Ismael Alonzo González and demands concrete protections for journalists
Twenty-seven-year-old journalist Ismael Alonzo González was shot dead on the night of 21 March in front of his home in Quetzaltenango, a city west of Guatemala City. One week later, there is still no public confirmation that an investigation into the case is underway. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) strongly condemns this crime, calls for an official probe and urges the government to swiftly approve a policy for the protection of journalists.
A community journalist, Ismael Alonzo González was murdered outside his home when armed individuals shot him directly in the head before fleeing the scene. Ismael Alonzo González was the general manager of Producciones Alonzo, a Facebook page dedicated to local and community news. He had also worked with the digital media Despertar Occidental. According to RSF information, the journalist had received threats, possibly due to information he had about local criminal groups that he had intended to publish but ultimately refrained out of fear.
"The murder of Ismael Alonzo González highlights the dangers and insecurity faced by community journalists in Guatemala. Despite the progress made by President Bernardo Arévalo’s administration in terms of press freedom, journalism remains a high-risk profession, particularly for those working in regions far from the capital. RSF urges the authorities to conduct a rigorous investigation to identify who committed this horrible crime and calls on Arévalo's government to urgently approve a public policy protecting human rights defenders and journalists.
According to the RSF report “Protection Mechanisms in Latin America,” the initiative to establish a programme to protect journalists in Guatemala has been moving slowly. When Bernardo Arévalo took office as president in January 2024, he pledged to return Guatemala to a democratic path, which included a commitment to implementing policies that protect journalists and human rights advocates. However, these efforts have been systematically undermined by an antagonistic judiciary — still dominated by figures linked to the previous government — which has acted as a political opponent to the administration. Weak congressional support has further limited the government's ability to advance its reform agenda.
Guatemala ranks 138th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2024 RSF's World Press Freedom Index.
