human rights defender

Teófilo Castro Mejia

HRD's Gender

Man

Type of HRD

  • Other

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Labour rights
  • Land rights

HRD's geographical origin

Rural

HRD's bio and work

(AI Translated) During the early morning hours, at the Hacienda La Asunción farm, located in the San Gregorio Piedra Parada annex of the municipality of Coatepeque, a massive and disproportionate police intervention was recorded. Motivated by complaints deemed unfounded by the Quintanal Campollo family, the action involved the deployment of ten patrols of the National Civil Police (PNC), approximately twenty‑five officers, and two armored vehicles of the Army. The objective of this operation was the capture of four individuals, including the elderly Teófilo Castro Mejía. They are part of a collective of approximately 300 senior workers who demand their rights to retirement and medical care from the Guatemalan Institute of Social Security (IGSS). This struggle arises after more than three decades in which the owning family deducted contributions from the workers but never paid them to the IGSS. The detained persons are young farmworkers, all born and raised on the farm, so their presence on the land is legitimate and does not constitute usurpation. On the contrary, the owners, Quintanal Campollo, have systematically tried to evict them from their homes to expand the rubber plantation.

Current Status

Under house arrest (pre-trial)

Detained since

Mar 2, 2026

Charge(s)

  • Other

Sentence

(AI Translated) It is linked to a proceeding for the crime of usurpation.

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean

Location of detention - City/Town

(AI Translated) Coatepeque, Quetzaltenango

Location of detention - Facility

(AI Translated) PNC Substation 41-61 Coatepeque

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