He was Archbishop of Guatemala City, having previously served as Bishop of Zacapa y Santo Cristo de Esquipulas from 1980 to 2001.

[2] He served as parochial vicar of El Sagrario, rector of Beatas di Belén, university chaplain as well as vice-chancellor of the Archdiocese of Guatemala City.

[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following 13 May from Archbishop Girolamo Prigione, with Bishops Costantino Luna Pianegonda, O.F.M., and José Pellecer Samayoa serving as co-consecrators, in the metropolitan cathedral of Santiago.

[3] Quezada became a national hero by helping to bring to an end the civil war that devastated his country for 36 years.

[citation needed] Cardinal Quezada Toruño died the morning of 4 June 2012 at a private hospital in Guatemala City due to complications of a bowel obstruction.