Andrea Ixchíu Hernández, a Maya K’iche’ woman, journalist, land protector, and human rights activist, recently spoke to Gio B’atz’, on the Red Nation podcast, about the demands of Indigenous communities such as calls for a plurinational government, among other topics…. Read More ›
Indigenous peoples
Survivors of Guatemalan mudslide face death or emigration
Alberto Arce and Rodrigo Abd present a moving piece of photoreportage on AP, telling of the ongoing struggles of the population of Quejá, in Alto Verapaz, after hurricane Eta struck in November last year. The day before he left for… Read More ›
Delia’s Return
On American Anthropologist, Lauren Heidbrink, her daughter Gabriela Afable, and Delia (not her real name), present a multimodal representation chronicling the detention and deportation of Delia, an Indigenous youth from San Marcos, who migrated to the United States. Delia’s experiences… Read More ›
Is this Guatemala’s Plurinational Moment?
Tim May writes in New Socialist about the recent demonstrations in Guatemala, including the recent Paro nacional and places the moment within a period of increasing grass-roots mobilisation. Indigenous authorities are increasingly finding their voice within national politics but still… Read More ›
Despite Protests, Guatemala’s President May Be Stronger than Ever
Brendan O’Boyle writes in Americas Quarterly on how President Giammattei is, so far, able to hold off calls for resignation despite his attacks on the independence of the judiciary and his government’s catastrophic and grossly negligent response to the pandemic…. Read More ›
Guatemala Tries to Repeat the 2015 Uprising against Corruption
Roman Gressier writes in El Faro about the national strike, called last week, in response to the sacking of Juan Francisco Sandoval. The paro nacional also confronted the government response to the pandemic, as well as rampant corruption. The national… Read More ›
“Fear has made me braver and that’s why I want to keep fighting”
ACOGUATE has published a piece about the struggle of the people of Ixquisis Microregion against the imposition of large megaprojects, through the words of María Hernández, a human rights defender. For the past three years, María Hernández has represented women… Read More ›
Guatemalan Communities Turn Out for Indigenous-Led Nationwide Shutdown
Sandra Cuffe writes in The Intercept about the national strike that took place on 29th July in response to the events surrounding the sacking of Juan Francisco Sandoval and his flight out of Guatemala. The ‘Paro Nacional’ was called by… Read More ›
UN Human Rights – Stop treating indigenous human rights defenders like criminals
United Nations human rights experts have expressed concerns over the criminalisation, violations of due process, and health rights of Bernardo Caal Xól, a Q’eqchi’ Maya Indigenous leader and Guatemalan human rights defender. “Mr. Bernardo Caal Xól has been criminalised because… Read More ›
When Justice Prevails
In the latest newsletter, from Skylight, Pamela Yates features an interview with Kate Doyle of the National Security Archive (NSA). A powerful recent example [of justice cascade] comes from Guatemala, a small country yet one where human rights defenders have… Read More ›