Former Guatemalan Anticorruption Prosecutor Shot Dead in Guatemala City
Two suspects have been detained after former prosecutor and tax chief Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa was killed at a sports complex in the capital.
At a glance
- Former prosecutor Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa was shot dead alongside another man at a Guatemala City sports complex.
- Police arrested two suspects and recovered a motorcycle and a firearm shortly after the Saturday shooting.
- President Bernardo Arevalo condemned the killing and pledged to bring both the perpetrators and planners to justice.
Former Guatemalan anticorruption prosecutor Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa was shot and killed on Saturday at the Campo Marte sports complex in Guatemala City.
A second man, Gustavo Adolfo Aguilar Gamarro, also died in the shooting, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. National police announced the arrest of two men shortly after the incident, recovering a motorcycle and a carbine-style firearm linked to the attack.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo condemned the shooting on his official X account, describing it as a cowardly murder. Arevalo pledged that both the perpetrators and those who ordered the killing would face the full weight of the law, noting that state agencies have been directed to coordinate in solving the case and emphasizing that intimidation would not undermine the country.
The 43-year-old Foppa was known for taking on high-profile legal battles against powerful corporate figures and political leaders. He previously led the Criminal Investigations Directorate within the Public Prosecutor’s Office before serving as the head of Guatemala’s tax authority, SAT, from 2016 to 2018. During his tenure at SAT, he pursued cases against numerous prominent business figures to recover unpaid taxes.
In recent years, Foppa remained involved in sensitive matters. In 2023, he briefly served on the legal defense team for journalist Jose Ruben Zamora, a prominent figure in regional press freedom debates. Foppa withdrew from that case after the Public Prosecutor’s Office accused him of obstructing proceedings and concealing information—allegations he denied but settled via a plea deal after stating he could not receive an impartial trial. In 2025, Foppa publicly accused the Barrio 18 gang of maintaining ties with the National Unity of Hope political party and the judicial system.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Who was Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa?
- Solorzano Foppa was a 43-year-old former Guatemalan prosecutor and anticorruption lawyer who previously ran the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the national tax agency, SAT.
- What happened during the attack in Guatemala City?
- Gunmen shot and killed Solorzano Foppa and Gustavo Adolfo Aguilar Gamarro at the Campo Marte sports complex. Police later arrested two men and seized a firearm and motorcycle.
- How did Guatemala's president respond to the shooting?
- President Bernardo Arevalo condemned the attack as a cowardly murder and vowed that both the shooters and whoever ordered the crime would be held fully accountable.
