Anti-corruption lawyer killed in armed attack

Former prosecutor and lawyer Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa, known for bringing forward corruption allegations against high-level politicians and business people in the Central American country of Guatemala, died as a result of an armed attack.

According to Reuters, 43-year-old Solorzano Foppa was targeted by gunmen while he was at the Campo Marte sports complex in the capital Guatemala City.

It was reported that in addition to Solorzano Foppa, another person named Gustavo Adolfo Aguilar Gamarro died in the attack.

Guatemala police announced that two men were detained as part of the investigations carried out after the attack.

It was announced that a carbine-type firearm and a motorcycle were seized during the operation.

Authorities stated that the detained people were suspected of being connected to the murder, and that the investigation into the cause of the attack and possible instigators was continuing.

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo condemned the murder in harsh words in his statement on the social media platform X.

Arevalo said, "I strongly condemn the cowardly murder of former prosecutor Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa. Both those who directly committed the murder and those who ordered it must face the full weight of the law."

Stating that he instructed his government to coordinate with the relevant institutions to shed light on the murder, Arevalo continued his statement as follows:

"Those who think that through terror they can intimidate the Guatemalan people and the government I lead are mistaken. In honor of Foppa, our homeland and justice."

Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa was known in Guatemala for his work on corruption allegations, especially in politics and business.

Foppa, who heads the Criminal Investigations Department within the Prosecutor's Office, served as head of the Guatemala Tax Administration (SAT) between 2016 and 2018.

During this period, he took part in the investigations carried out against the country's leading business people and pioneered efforts to collect unpaid taxes.

In 2025, Foppa claimed that there were connections between the criminal organization Barrio 18 and the National Union of Hope party, and also claimed that criminal organizations had relations within the judicial system.

Foppa also briefly joined the defense team of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora in 2023.

Zamora is among the names closely followed by the international public due to his journalistic activities investigating allegations of corruption in Guatemala and the lawsuits filed against him.

However, Foppa had to withdraw from the case after the prosecution accused him of obstructing the judicial process and destroying or concealing some information.

Foppa, who denied the accusations, accepted a deal with the prosecutor's office, stating that he did not believe he would receive a fair trial.

The investigation into the murder of a well-known anti-corruption lawyer in Guatemala continues.