The latest ¿Que pasó en Guatemala?, in English, arrived from PLQE, the Spanish and K’iche’ school, based in Xela. Congress approves the largest national budget in history behind closed doors. The morning of November 17, officers from the National Civil… Read More ›
Corruption
The Afternoon Giammattei Unleashed the Fury
If one looks at the images of the attacks on the Congress building last weekend, you can see perpetrators wielding expandable batons, normal police issue crowd control weapons. This, in addition to narratives highlighting state infiltration of the demonstration and… Read More ›
Police Repress Protests
This weekend’s Guardian Weekly published a photo of the fire in the Congress building from last weekend, but without any context. It’s the now, ‘well-known’, photo with the protester in front, arms raised – typical, lazy ‘western’ corporate journalism. The… Read More ›
Guatemalans rise to demand justice
Thousands of people took to the streets on November 21st, in Guatemala, to demonstrate against the corruption and greed of the members of Congress who, amongst other things, wished to increase their meals’ allowance at the expense of child malnutrition… Read More ›
Hurricanes continue to batter Guatemala. Poverty (and poor government planning) are making things worse.
With little response from the government, “Only The People Save The People” has become the rallying cry. Jackie McVicar writes in America Magazine of the challenges facing the community of Chicoyou in the wake of Hurricane Eta, which struck Central… Read More ›
Indigenous Guatemalans Face Epidemic of Evictions
Jeff Abbott writes in El Faro about the challenges facing Indigenous communities involved in disputes over land, especially in this time of pandemic. The makeshift houses made of black plastic and bamboo line the road cutting through the lush green… Read More ›
Covid-19, Guatemalan immigration and deportations
Gio B’atz’ has written in Plaza Pública about the scale of deportations to Guatemala during the Covid-19 epidemic and the lies and deception being used to justified this profound abuse of human rights. Over four parts, the articles cover the… Read More ›
Indigenous Guatemalan Journalist Faces Charges after Reporting on Protest
Iñigo Alexander writes in the NACLA Report website. The arrest of Maya K’iche’ journalist Anastasia Mejía exposes the Central American country’s ongoing assault on press freedom. On 22nd September, Maya K’iche’ journalist, Anastasia Mejía was detained by the National Police… Read More ›
The Legacy of How Guatemala Destroyed its Own Anti-Corruption Crusade
A few months ago, Insight Crime published an interview with Juan Francisco Sandoval, the head of FECI ( Fiscalía Especializada Contra la Impunidad – Special Prosecutor Against Impunity). The interview focuses on the continued machinations of those in power to… Read More ›
Suitcases of Cash: Guatemala’s Faltering Anti-Corruption Efforts
Sandra Cuffe writes in El Faro about the find, in a wealthy gated community, in Antigua, Guatemala, of about USD $15M in both Guatemala Quetzals and US Dollars. The search was carried out by FECI (Fiscalía Especializada Contra la Impunidad… Read More ›