Alex Papadovassilakis writes in InSight Crime about the nexus of family, politics and criminal activity that occurs in some of Guatemala’s more isolated regions. This, against a backdrop of the criminalisation of human rights defenders and the facilitation of top-level… Read More ›
Legal
Children’s home fire: ‘The souls of our daughters are still there’
Mira Galanova writes, on the BBC, about the fire that took place in the care home, Hogar Seguro Virgen de la Asunción, on March 8th 2017, and the stories of those left behind. There were 41 deaths of young women… Read More ›
Guatemala is key to Biden’s migrant policy. Its corruption is worsening.
Sabrina Rodríguez and Eugene Daniels write in Politico about the challenges facing U.S. policy on anti-corruption in Guatemala, while also prioritising migration from Central America more broadly. When Vice President Kamala Harris visited Guatemala in June, she delivered a clear… Read More ›
Guatemala fires its top corruption prosecutor for being too effective
“That President Giammattei would confront the United States to protect major corruption targets says it all.” Stephen McFarland writes in Plaza Pública on the troubling direction facing Guatemala. The wilful moves of the governing elites to repudiate U.S. government’s support… 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 ›
US curbs work with Guatemala after anti-corruption leader removed
A new piece on Al Jazeera on a response of the U.S government of the recent sacking of Juan Francisco Sandoval. The United States has said it will pause some cooperation with Guatemala’s criminal prosecutor after the head of a… Read More ›
Guatemala Solidarity Network 