“In 2020, more than a decade after assailants hacked her husband with a machete and shot him in the head, Angelica Choc is still fighting for justice. A teacher and respected leader in their Maya Q’eqchi community in eastern Guatemala,… Read More ›
Criminalisation
Anniversary of the fire in the Hogar Seguro
It is now just three years since the fire in the Virgin of the Assumption ‘Safe/Secure’ Home (Hogar Seguro Virgen de la Asunción) in San José Pinula, some 25 km from Guatemala City. While their lives can never be returned,… Read More ›
Revolving Door Raises Concern about Corporate influence over Escobal Mine Consultation
“Just weeks into his administration, President Giammattei has already declared martial law in two municipalities opposed to resource extraction. He also promised to fast-track a highly controversial law to regulate the consultation process. While sure to be contested, many fear… Read More ›
Guatemala, a New President while the Old Leaves With Further Repression and Impunity
Lisa Rankin, of Breaking the Silence, writes on their blog site about the change-over but lack of change. January 14 was the inauguration of the new Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei. He is known as a hard-line right-wing conservative with a… Read More ›
NISGUA – December Solidarity Update
NISGUA recently shared their Solidarity Update for December. Maya Achi survivors present a formal complaint against Judge Claudette Domínguez On December 5, 36 Maya Achi survivors of sexual violence presented a formal complaint against Judge Claudette Domínguez for acts of… Read More ›
Guatemala – CICIG’s Legacy
The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) have done a series of short reports looking at Trends of the Decade. Guatemala features in various themes, but I thought to concentrate on the Fight Against Corruption and CICIG’s legacy. Since 2007, Guatemala’s… Read More ›
2019 – a year of violence
UDEFEGUA has just reported on the number of personal attacks against human rights defenders in Guatemala this year, up to the middle of December. From the infographic, above, it reports that this year was the fourth most violent year out… Read More ›
PBI – Indigenous land defenders criminalized for opposing open-pit mine, dam
Brent Patterson, of PBI Canada writes, On December 20, the Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project posted, “Today we have accompanied the Law Office of Human Rights to Puerto Barrios at the initial debate hearing of Eduardo Bin Poou, Q’eqchi’ defender and… Read More ›