While the results of the election are now known, with a landslide win for Bernardo Arévalo, fears for democracy in Guatemala have not simply gone away as state actors in support of corruption remain powerful. Jody García wrote in The… Read More ›
Violence
US, Canada-Backed Guatemalan Elites Threaten Coup Amid Opposition Party Runoff
Grahame Russell and Michael Bakal write in Truthout,prior to the elections, on the fears and uncertainties revolving around an election which harnesses hope in the struggle against the corrupt elites, and those who facilitate them. These fears and uncertainties are… Read More ›
A Turning Point in Guatemalan History: Bernardo Arévalo Wins in Landslide Rejection of Ruling Elite
As news spread of the victory of Bernardo Aŕevalo in the presidential election runoff at the weekend by, what many consider, a landslide, Democracy Now had a piece featuring activist and award-winning investigative journalist, Allan Nairn, and Frank LaRue, Guatemalan… Read More ›
Pre- and Post-Election Machinations in Guatemala
Despite widespread attempts to manipulate the electoral system in favour of candidates alligned to agents of corruption (Los Corruptos), the Guatemala Presidential election threw up a major surprise. The two frontrunners turned out to be Sandra Torres, a former First-Lady… Read More ›
‘Feminicide, Impunity, and the United States in Guatemala’ with Victoria Sanford
Cyril Mychalejko talks to Victoria Sanford on The Signal podcast by The Bucks County Beacon, an independent media outlet out of Pennsylvania. The discussion is rooted in Dr Sanford’s new book, Textures of Terror: The Murder of Claudina Isabel Velasquez… Read More ›
Vamos: The Fight to Stay in the Game
Alex Papadovassilakis writes in InSight Crime on President Alejandro Giammattei, who is soon to see his term come to an end, if the ramos, the political party or, more correctly, the political bloc, which has effectively wielded power and favour… Read More ›
‘Simulation of democracy’: Guatemala readies for election amid concerns of manipulation
Candidates have been disqualified on spurious grounds as experts warn of country backsliding into autocracy Nina Lakhani and Jody García write in The Guardian about the manipulation and corruption being carried out prior to this weekend’s presidential elections in Guatemala…. Read More ›
In This Election, Some Candidates Lost Before a Single Vote Was Cast
Guatemala’s first round of elections on Sunday is as much about who’s not on the ballot as who is, after courts barred leading candidates from running. Simon Romero, Natalie Kitroeff and Jody García write in The New York Times about… Read More ›
The Lasting Legacy of the Rios Montt Guilty Verdict
Pamela Yates, the film-maker with Skylight Pictures, recently presented a piece marking the ten year anniversary of the guilty verdict against General Efraín Ríos Montt for genocide and crimes against humanity. Today (May 10, 2023) marks the day when General… Read More ›
Human Rights Award To Parliament of the Xinka People
The 2023 Human Rights Award from Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is awarded to Guatemalan Indigenous rights group, Parlamento del Pueblo Xinka (Parliament of the Xinka People). The Parlamento del Pueblo Xinka (Parliament of the Xinka People) is the Assembly… Read More ›