Mexico City, December 11, 2024—Guatemalan authorities issued an arrest warrant on December 6 for journalist Juan Luis Font on charges of collusion and passive bribery. Font, co-director of the news radio show Con Criterio, has been living in exile since 2022 and told CPJ the charges stem from an old case that authorities have repeatedly used to try to incriminate him.
“Guatemalan authorities must end their baseless pursuit of journalist Juan Luis Font, drop all criminal proceedings against him, and ensure he can return home to work safely and without fear of retaliation,” said Cristina Zahar, CPJ’s Latin America program coordinator, in São Paulo. “Using the justice system to persecute journalists is a blatant tactic of intimidation that undermines press freedom and democratic principles.”
In March 2022, the former communications minister Alejandro Sinibaldi accused Font of unlawfully associating with former anti-corruption judge Erika Aifán, pointing to Font’s radio interviews with Judge Aifán and tweets in which Font criticized “criminal groups” for allegedly harassing the judge.
Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. for obstructing corruption investigations, told digital news outlet Xela News that Font had a “pre-existing relationship” with Aifán, citing the fact that Font and Aifán have followed each other on the social media platform X since 2020.
Font told CPJ he denies the allegations, describing them as part of a campaign to discredit him. If convicted, Font faces a potential prison sentence of six to eight years under Guatemalan law.
Font left Guatemala in March 2022 due to harassment.
CPJ’s WhatsApp message to the prosecutor’s office spokesperson for comment did not receive a response.
CPJ has extensively documented how Guatemala’s judicial system and prosecutor’s office misuse criminal law to harass and silence journalists. This includes the case of journalist José Rubén Zamora, who spent more than two years in prison and is currently under house arrest awaiting a retrial.