Mr. Juárez played a leadership role in the Alliance for Life and Peace and was also a member of the Association of the Displaced of the Petén. He was working on issues of development related to health, education, land, housing, and humanitarian assistance. He was also working against impunity in the Petén and often denounced injustice, corruption, and abuses of authority committed by the National Civil Police.

The Association of Displaced of the Petén is a member of the Alliance for Life and Peace, a network of organizations that has been carrying out campaigns against the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and against the construction of hydroelectric dams in the Petén.

The motive for the killing is unknown, but Guatemalan human rights analysts note with concern that his murder coincides with the intimidation of two other human rights defenders who have been active in the struggle against the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) recently signed by the US and Central American countries. Those two human rights defenders have received written death threats. The characteristic that unites these three cases is that the attacks are being directed against leaders who have been important in the movement but have not been public.

An attempt had previously been made on Mr. Juarez' life, also while he was in his home. He had reported the attempt to the authorities, but it was never investigated, and it was not reported to other organizations within civil society. Several days before his murder, according to reports, he had received threats and had reported them to the Public Prosecutor's Office and to the Human Rights Procurator's Office in Guatemala City.

The Association of the Displaced of the Petén has purposely not done any media work related to the murder, in order to avoid pressure on the survivors. Please respond to the action below, while respecting their wishes not to publicize the case with the media.