Francisco Pop Ico, human rights defender from the Mayan Q'eqchi' community of Santa Elena, Petén department, was shot and killed while riding his motorbike on the border between Mexico and Guatemala.

The murder occurred one day before the defender was due to attend a court hearing related to the accusation brought by the company Industrias Chiquibul, which accused him and four other former palm tree workers of crimes of usurpation and threats in the context of their organisation to defend labour rights.