This post from Brent Patterson on the PBI-Canada website. On February 13, the Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project posted, “Yesterday we visited the Peaceful Resistance of La Puya camp, composed of 12 communities of San Pedro Ayampuc and San José del… Read More ›
Human Rights
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 ›
Giammattei Begins Term Alongside Allies of Jimmy Morales
‘How does a former director of prison facilities connected to a massacre end up as president of Guatemala? In the country’s recent history, discontent with the political class has created fertile soil for people claiming to be saviors to take… 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 ›
Around the change-over of President
In the last couple of weeks, Guatemala has seen the swearing in of its new President, Alejandro Giammattei, and the unedifying site of Jimmy Morales scurrying off to the Central America Parliament (PARLACEN) so as to maintain his impunity from… Read More ›
What the CICIG Taught Guatemala
Irma A. Velasquez Nimatuj writes on the Americas Program website about the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG by its acronym in Spanish). It is a timely piece, as President Morales is about to step down from his role… Read More ›
PBI-Guatemala concern over the situation at the Police Archive
Brent Patterson writes: On January 12, the Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project posted, “The Supreme Court of Justice had scheduled a public hearing on the AHPN situation but rescheduled it for February 24. Meanwhile the Archive is left without staff.” The… Read More ›
'Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are everything but safe.'
Belén Fernández writes in Al Jazeera. This year, US President and xenophobe-in-chief, Donald Trump finagled “safe third country agreements” with Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, allowing the United States to deport aspiring asylum seekers to the very region many of… Read More ›
A Translation Crisis at the Border
Rachel Nolan writes in the New Yorker magazine about the grassroots group of interpreters who are often the only hope for migrants who speak Mayan languages. “The U.S. government claims to provide proper translation at all points in the immigration… 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 ›