The request for provisional measures seeks to protect the life and integrity of Helen Mack Chang, her relatives, and members of the Myrna Mack Foundation and concerns threats, harassment and intimidation. These incidents take place close to the oral arguments phase in the case seeking to establish responsibility for the extrajudicial execution of the anthropologist Myrna Mack Chang and as criminal proceedings in the case move forward.

In January 2015, the Inter-American Court partially lifted the protective measures, maintaining them for Helen Mack Chang and members of the Myrna Mack Foundation.