Burning books, part of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War, had strong support from local allies. Guatemala, after the fall of Jacobo Árbenz in 1954, points to a common practice in Central America: the violent repression of the free… Read More ›
Violence
GHRC – Attacks on human rights defenders continue in Guatemala
GHRC writes that in the past month attacks on human rights defenders, including journalists, have continued. Journalist Carlos Choc has suffered acts of intimidation and has been the victim of a defamation campaign. These acts are believed to be linked… Read More ›
Pregnant and trapped: Guatemala’s child sex abuse crisis
In late 2022, Anja Popp presented an episode of Unreported World which looked at teen pregnancies among Indigenous Maya as a result of rape and sexual assault. There is a silent crisis of abuse and child pregnancies robbing a generation… Read More ›
This is how survivors and victims’ families experienced the “bittersweet” ruling in the Hogar Seguro case
María José Longo Bautista has written on the website of Agencia Ocote a piece on the reaction of friends and relatives, of the victims, to the verdicts handed down in the Hogar Seguro case. The Agencia Ocote website hosts a… Read More ›
Six former officials convicted in Guatemala for the deaths of 41 minors in a fire
The teenagers were being held in a state-run home in 2017. The court orders an investigation into former president Jimmy Morales. Sofía Menchú writes in El País América on the outcome of the trial against state functionaries with regard to… Read More ›
New York Times: The 36 Maya Achí Women who fought back
The New York Times recently presented an interactive photo-essay on the 36 Maya Achí women and their struggle to access justice for the human rights violations the women suffered during Guatemala’s Internal Armed Conflict. . The piece containing photographs and… Read More ›
After 13 years of resistance against mining, La Puya reaffirms its commitment to defending the territory.
Earlier this year, La Puya celebrated its 13th anniversary as a Comunidad en Resistencia in oppostion to the imposition of a gold mine on its territory. Derik Mazariegos posted an article on the celebrations in Prensa Comunitaria. On March 2,… Read More ›
Criminalization and Judicial Terrorism against Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala
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 ›
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 ›