Nelton Rivera is a Guatemalan historian and journalist. He is the co-founder, editor and photojournalist of independent news outlet Prensa Comunitaria Kilómetro 169. His journalistic work focuses on environmental issues, and he has been involved in the Green Blood and Mining Secrets investigations, which have been high-profile cases in the country.
Since Otto Pérez Molina assumed the role of President in January 2012, cases of harassment and threats against HRDs have been on the rise. Human rights defenders (HRDs) in Guatemala are subjected to death threats, physical attacks, acts of harassment, surveillance, stigmatisation, judicial harassment, arbitrary detention, forced disappearance and killings. Many of the violations are carried out by clandestine security structures and illegal groups. The exceptionally high level of impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators increases the risk exponentially for HRDs.
