Madre Vieja River Communities v. Government of Guatemala

River-dependent communities sought judicial protection of the Madre Vieja River, alleging pollution and over-extraction associated with large-scale agricultural operations and asserting that State authorities failed to enforce environmental and water-protection obligations. Courts issued orders and measures aimed at protecting access to water and reducing river degradation, shifting the dispute into an implementation phase focused on compliance and enforcement. The litigation is an example of climate rights-based water protection efforts in Guatemala in the context of increasing water scarcity and environmental stress.