Guatemalan court denies journalist José Rubén Zamora travel for U.S. medical treatment

A Guatemalan court has denied journalist José Rubén Zamora's request to travel to the United States for medical treatment, ruling that his appointment was elective and not an emergency. The decision came despite a report from the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) confirming Zamora suffers from neurological problems causing frequent falls and identifying a specialist in Florida as suitable for his knee injury.

The court prioritized Zamora's presence in future trials, arguing that the Guatemalan healthcare system has specialists capable of treating his condition. This ruling occurred even though the Public Ministry and the Attorney General's Office did not oppose the journalist's temporary departure to ensure his right to health.

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You can be sure that I would have left for three weeks and returned as always to face the music.

Zamora, 69, who founded the now-defunct elPeriódico newspaper, has faced several judicial processes for alleged money laundering, blackmail, and influence peddling since his arrest in July 2022. He was released on conditional liberty in February 2026 after spending over three years in pre-trial detention. He is currently facing two additional lawsuits from home.

Following the court's decision, Zamora accepted the ruling, stating his obligation to comply serenely. He asserted that he would have returned after a three-week trip, emphasizing his financial constraints due to frozen accounts and severe economic limitations.

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You are talking about an emotional issue, it has nothing to do with competence or my character.