Daniel Pedro Mateo and his wife.

© Photo courtesy of Lisa Maya Knauer

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On April 16, 2013, the body of Qanjob’al community activist Daniel Pedro Mateo was found murdered in Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango, Guatemala.   He had been kidnapped for 12 days and his body showed signs of torture.

Daniel, a founder of the community radio station Snuq Jolom Konob, disappeared on Sunday, April 7^th  in the village of El Quetzal, Huehuetenango on his way to host a workshop on Indigenous rights in the community of Santa Cruz Barillas. His family was contacted by kidnappers and demanded a ransom of Q150,000 in return for his safety. Despite the efforts of his family and community to gather money to pay the ransom, Daniel’s body was found last night in his village of Santa Eulalia.