The recent arrests of two Maya leaders is emblematic of increasing repression and criminalization of Indigenous peoples by the Guatemalan state. Giovanni Batz writes in NACLA of the recent arrests of the Indigenous Maya leaders, Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán,… Read More ›
Violence
Legal investigation into legitimacy of mining licenses of Montreal-based Central America Nickel in Guatemala
Rights Action has posted a translation of an article by Simon Antonio Ramon, published in Prensa Comunitaria. The piece is followed by a Rights Action commentary looking at the Corrupt government of President Giammattei, Hypocrisy in U.S. and Canada, and… Read More ›
BTS – 2024 Year in Review
The Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) recently published their annual review for 2024. The report not only celebrates their accomplishments over the last year, it also recognizes the incredible contributions of their partners, staff, cooperants, interns, volunteers, and donors!… Read More ›
Indigenous Women Survivors of Guatemala’s Rape Camps Seek Justice
Forty years after surviving state violence, Maya Achi women return to court to demand justice, challenging a long legacy of impunity for crimes against humanity. Jo-Marie Burt, Paulo Estrada and Keily Colíndres write in NACLA Report about the long struggle… Read More ›
The Massacre of a Trial for Genocide
Benedicto Lucas García, a parachutist trained by France and the United States, was an iconic leader of the Guatemalan counterinsurgency. Decades after the horror, as some of the remaining Maya Ixil victims made the trek from the mountains of Quiché… Read More ›
Arrest of Indigenous Leaders Threatens Rights to Free Assembly and Democracy in Guatemala
In Guatemala, what we had feared would happen is beginning to happen. Indigenous leaders who put their safety on the line for democracy are being arrested. Guatemala Human Rights Commission (GHRC) posted a piece on the criminalisation and arrest of… Read More ›
GHRC – Blog: Update on Recent Developments in Guatemala
Guatemala Human Rights Commission (GHRC) posted an update last month on the latest news from Guatemala. The topics covered included: These topics, and others, can be read in more detail here, Update on Recent Developments in Guatemala.
Expanding Her Enemy List, Guatemalan AG Accuses Indigenous Leaders of Terrorism
Two Maya K’iche’ pro-democracy leaders who were key in fending off an electoral coup in 2023 and 2024 have now been arrested and accused of terrorism, including a member of President Bernardo Arévalo’s cabinet. In response, Arévalo and Indigenous authorities… Read More ›
Peace Brigades International remembers the life and activism of David Hartsough
Peace Brigades International (PBI) – Canada have posted a nice piece about David Hartsough, who passed away recently. David was a human rights accompanier in Guatemala during the 1980s and was involved in the early accompaniment of GAM (Grupo de… Read More ›
Ongoing Struggles for Justice: Criminalisation of Maya Ch’orti’ Indigenous Defenders in Guatemala
Members of the Maya Ch’orti’ Indigenous Council of Olopa stand in solidarity against the mining on their land An article was recently published on the website of Peace Brigades International UK (PBI-UK) highlighting the criminalisation of Indigenous defenders in Olopa…. Read More ›