The facts of the case concern criminal proceedings related to the murder of Mr. Francisco García Valle, the husband of Mrs. María Luisa Acosta Castellón, a well-known defender of the rights of indigenous peoples in Nicaragua.

The Inter-American Court analyzed the investigative and judicial response of the State, and the diligence with which they dealt with hypotheses surrounding the homicide, with particular emphasis on the motive, which could be linked to the work as of Ms. Acosta as a human rights defender.