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On 12th January 1999, Robinson Manolo Morales Canales, a leader of the Council of the Municipal Workers Union of Zacapa, member of Confederación de Unidad Sindical de Guatemala (CUSG) Guatemalan Trade Union Confederation, was shot and killed by unidentified armed men, just hours after publicly denouncing alleged acts of corruption carried out by the Mayor of Zacapa, in a radio debate with the Mayor. The acts of corruption had reportedly been discovered by members of Morales' union.

The mayor was reportedly forced to resign due to public pressure after the murder of Robinson Morales.

Two months later, on 8th March 1999, Angel Pineda was brutally murdered in the village of San Jorge, Zacapa municipality. He had also been protesting at the violation of labour rights and had similarly condemned the corruption of the former Mayor of Zacapa..

During 1998, two other members of the Municipal Workers Union, who had opposed corruption in the region, Rolando Duarte and José Alfredo Chacón Ramírez, were also killed in unclear circumstances.