On February 26, 2016, High Risk “A” Tribunal in Guatemala convicted military officers Esteelmer Reyes Girón and Heriberto Valdez Asig of sexual violence and domestic and sexual slavery against 15 Maya Q’eqchi’ women, as well as several counts of homicide… Read More ›
Guatemala
News from La Puya
Yesterday, March 2, 2016,the Comunidad en Resistencia at La Puya celebrated their fourth year of peaceful resistance against the El Tambor gold mine. This anniversary was especially momentous, coming just after the Guatemalan Supreme Court’s February 22 ruling to suspend… Read More ›
Sepur Zarco – Guilty Verdict
Women survivors of Sepur Zarco stand and raise their hands in acknowledgement of the guilty verdict and sentence. Photo: EPA (NISGUA) The 26th February marked an historic day for both Guatemala and the world in the struggle to seek justice… Read More ›
Guatemala – trade unions in the firing line
Noé Ramirez Portela, General Secretary of the Izabal Banana Workers’ Union of Guatemala (SITRABI) visited the UK from 26 to 28 November 2015, during which he met UK trade unionists, government and opposition officials and journalists. He also spoke at… Read More ›
Sepur Zarco: Landmark Sexual Violence Case in Guatemala
Image from the Sepur Zarco trial taken by Nelton Rivera On Monday, February 1, the landmark Sepur Zarco trial opened in Guatemala City before High-Risk Court A. It is first time that a case of sexual violence related to Guatemala’s… Read More ›
No one is controlling Perenco…..
Sebastián Escalón writes, in PlazaPublica, that the oil company is operating since 2010 without having an approved Environmental Impact Study….. No one is controlling Perenco and the Office of the Counsel-General is requesting it to stop The environmental impact study… Read More ›
Guatemalan Court Upholds Ruling on Ecocide
Polly Higgins writes in the blog, ‘Eradicating Ecocide‘, about the recent court case in Guatemala where the African palm oil corporation, Empresa Reforestadora de Palma de Petén SA (REPSA), lost their appeal against the first ruling of its kind. The… Read More ›
Ghosts of Past Violence Haunt New President of Guatemala
As newly-elected Guatemalan president Jimmy Morales prepares to start his four-year term, the ghosts of the Central American country’s past violence are re-emerging in a dramatic way as, earlier this month, Guatemala’s Public Prosecutor’s Office arrested 18 high-ranking retired military… Read More ›
Guatemalan ex-military officials arrested in connection with crimes against humanity
Guatemalan authorities have arrested 18 former military officials accused of committing human rights abuses during the country’s 36-year civil war. Charged in connection with forced disappearances and massacres, the men have this week been taken into custody. Among those arrested… Read More ›
NGOs condemn Canadian ruling that mining case be heard in Guatemala
Canadian and U.S. organisations condemn judge’s ruling that a lawsuit against Vancouver-based mining company Tahoe Resources must be heard in Guatemala, not Canada. Six plaintiffs allege that security personnel attacked protesters in 2013 with rubber bullets at the Tahoe Resources-owned… Read More ›