Jo-Marie Burt and Paulo Estrada write in El Faro on the Diario Militar, or ‘Death Squad Dossier’ trial, currently taking place in Guatemala. The trial is continuing against a backdrop of sustained attacks on judicial independence and threats against human… Read More ›
El Faro
Judge Aifán, from Exile: “My life was in danger in Guatemala”
José Luis Sanz interviews Judge Erika Aifán after she had gone into exile after a long, and concerted, series of attacks on her integrity and the integrity of the Guatemala judicial system. It is available in El Faro, as is… Read More ›
Forbidden Stories – Mining Secrets
Forbidden Stories presented Mining Secrets, a leak of thousands of documents, shared by hacking collective ‘Guacamaya Roja’, that comes from mining giant Solway in Guatemala. The leak of more than eight million company documents revealed how the mining company, operating… Read More ›
Crackdown on Guatemala Prosecutors Intensifies Amid Presidential Corruption Claims
Alex Papadovassilakis writes in InSight Crime on the continuing hollowing out of independent prosecutors who have been tackling the rampant corruption and impunity that is gripping Guatemala. With cries of corruption mounting against Guatemala’s president, the country’s Attorney General, Consuelo… Read More ›
Imperfect Justice Is Still Justice for Wartime Rape Survivors in Guatemala
Jo-Marie Burt and Paulo Estrada write, in El Faro, on the recent verdicts in the Achí Women Case and what justice means for the surviving victims – perhaps justice but not closure. The piece describes disturbing examples of gendered violence… Read More ›
Witness Accuses Guatemalan President of Funding Campaign with Construction Bribes
José Luis Sanz writes in El Faro about the sworn testimonies regarding bribery and campaign contributions relating to the election of President Alejandro Giammattei, and the attempts by the Attorney General’s office to put a brake to the investigations. It… Read More ›
The Origins of Racism in Guatemala — An Interview with Marta Elena Casaús Arzú on Anti-Indigenous Racism
Plaza Pública published an interview with Marta Elena Casaús Arzú in 2017 by Carlos Arrazola and the subsequent English translation was published in El Faro. It is a fascinating interview on race and racism in Guatemala. Marta Elena Casaús Arzú… Read More ›
“Becoming president of Guatemala requires resources that I don’t have”
Roman Gressier presents, in El Faro, an interview with Martín Toc, the President of the 48 Cantons of Totonicapán. Few organizations can paralyze Guatemala without setting foot in the capital. The 48 Cantons of Totonicapán, a Maya K’iche’ Indigenous authority… 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 ›
“It’s Hard to Find an Honest Judge in Guatemala Now”
Ahead of the news of the sacking of Juan Francisco Sandoval, the head of FECI, at the weekend, El Faro published an interview with leading Guatemalan human rights advocate, Helen Mack. Alongside Sandoval, Gloria Porras, Érika Aifán, and Jordán Rodas,… Read More ›
Guatemala Solidarity Network 