On 9 April 1995 Maria de Leon Santiago was attacked in her home in Vitzal, El Quiche department, by people throwing stones. She lost consciousness and was then punched and kicked. In the days preceding this incident she had been constantly harassed, and her family threatened. The attack is believed to be a reprisal for her leadership, in March, of a caravan of Ixiles, from her town to Guatemala City in protest against the human rights violations suffered by indigenous people in the area at the hands of the military. She has suffered harassment and intimidation in the past because of her activities as a local leader of CONAVIGUA.
