On August 13, Leocadio Juracán Salomé, a Guatemalan Indigenous campesino leader and invited speaker at the TC/ESG25 conference, was detained at La Aurora Airport while travelling to Johannesburg. He was en route to join colleagues from the Translocal Learning Network to share his experience defending Indigenous land rights and advancing systemic transformation. The charges brought against him are widely seen by human rights observers as politically motivated and part of a broader effort to criminalize land and environmental defenders in Guatemala.
In response, the Transformations Community has issued the following Solidarity Statement, and we are sharing an Urgent Action Notice from Breaking the Silence. We encourage all members of our community to stand with Leocadio and, if possible, take immediate action today.
Solidarity Statement
We stand in solidarity with Leocadio Juracán Salomé, his colleagues at the Comité Campesino del Altiplano (CCDA), and all those who face persecution for their work defending human rights and Indigenous territories.
We join international calls for:
• His immediate release and protection
• A moratorium on the criminalization of land and environmental defenders
• Respect for Indigenous rights and the rule of law
Read & share the full statement here:
Urgent Action Notice – Write Now
Recipients:
- Ana Glenda Tager Rosado – Private Secretariat of the Guatemalan Presidency
📧 informacion@secretariaprivada.gob.gt - Francisco Jiménez Irungaray – Guatemalan Interior Minister
📧 despachoministerial@mingob.gob.gt - Claudia Samayoa – Advisor to the Interior Minister
📧 ddhh3@mingob.gob.gt
Please also copy the following Canadian officials:
- Anita Anand – Canadian Foreign Minister
📧 Anita.Anand@parl.gc.ca - Olivier Jacques – Canadian Ambassador to Guatemala
📧 Olivier.Jacques@international.gc.ca - Heather McPherson – Member of Parliament
📧 Heather.McPherson@parl.gc.ca - Elizabeth May – Member of Parliament
📧 elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca
Suggested message (English):
I urge you to release Leocadio Juracán immediately, guarantee his safety, enact a moratorium on the criminalization of land defenders, and uphold the rights of Indigenous and campesino communities.
Suggested message (Spanish):
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.
Bruce Goldstein, Executive Director, Transformations Community
Laura Pereira, in her personal capacity as Co-organiser, TC/ESG 2025 Conference
This statement is issued by the Transformations Community, with Laura Pereira signing in a personal capacity. ESG and Wits have not yet reviewed or approved the statement, but have not declined to be involved. Their potential inclusion as co-signatories is pending internal review.
