Guatemala’s former minister of governance resigns and leaves the country after the public learns of the escape from prison of twenty Barrio 18 (18th Street) gang members. Gabriel Labrador and Roman Gressier presented a podcast on El Faro English highlighting… Read More ›
Roman Gressier
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 ›
Arévalo’s “Democratic Spring” Polls Below the Nicaraguan Dictatorship
El Faro has presented a short video, scripted by Yuliana Ramazzini and Roman Gressier, on Bernardo Arévalo’s inability to curb criminalisation by the Attorney General and how his communications stumbles compound his inexperience as he struggles to make headway in… Read More ›
Guatemalan AG Wants to Send Jose Rubén Zamora Back to Prison
After spending more than two years in prison in a corrupt judicial process, Guatemala’s most prominent newspaperman was released on house arrest pending retrial. But a Guatemalan court, at the request of AG Consuelo Porras, wants to send Zamora back… Read More ›
“Despite the new government, the advance of mining in Guatemala is already decided”
Roman Gressier interviewed journalist Carlos Choc about his criminalisation by the state and the continuing struggle against rapacious resource extraction companies stirrping Guatemala of its wealth. Carlos Choc is Maya Q’eqchi’ and a high-profile practitioner of periodismo comunitario (community journalism)’…. Read More ›
Arévalo’s Reform Bill to Sack Consuelo Porras Stalls in Gridlocked Congress
Roman Gressier wrote in El Faro English, in May, of the challenges facing the Bernardo Arévalo in seeking to remove Consuelo Porras as the Attorney General. Time was indeed of the essence on Monday, May 6, when Guatemalan President Bernardo… Read More ›
No End in Sight for His AG Problem, Arévalo Seeks Aid from US, OAS, Europe
Lacking a roadmap for the central political issue of AG Consuelo Porras’ refusal to resign, Bernardo Arévalo is doubling down on his bet for international support. Roman Gressier and José Luis Sanz write in El Faro English on the challenges… Read More ›
The Indigenous Resistance Puts Its Doubts and Hopes in Arévalo’s Hands
Shortly after Bernardo Arévalo was inaugurated as President, Roman Gressier wrote a piece in El Faro English on the resistance led by Indigenous peoples in ensuring that the will of the people was carried out so that the inauguration took… Read More ›
Arévalo’s Choice of Cabinet Clashes with His Base’s Expectations
Despite months of underhand, and blatantly corrupt, manoeuvres against the newly elected President, Bernardo Arévalo, and Vice-President, Karin Herrera, the inauguration took place in the capital yesterday. Even last minute attempts to hold things up were carried out by the… Read More ›
Without Authority or Proof, Guatemalan AG Asserts Arévalo’s Election is “Null”
One month before the transfer of power, prosecutors claim to have evidence of fraud —they have yet to show any— and say the election of Bernardo Arévalo should be declared void. In response, the U.S. sanctioned over 300 people on… Read More ›