Julian Marcelo Sabuc Xalcut (CCDA) gives an interview about protests in front of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

[Find the original video of the interview below]

BTS: Good afternoon, could you tell me your name and the organization you represent?

Marcelo (CCDA): Good afternoon, I’m Julian Marcelo Sabuc Xalcut, from the Highlands’ Committee of Small Scale Farmers (CCDA).

BTS: Thank you, Marcelo. Could you tell us why you’re protesting here in front of the Public Proseuctor’s Office (MP) in Guatemala City?

Marcelo: The CCDA sees the national strike as a major priority. It has been going on for [several] days now. It began on Monday and has lasted until today. Basically, we are calling for the resignation of Consuelo Porras (current attorney general), Rafael Curruchiche (head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (FECI)), Fredy Orellana (a judge sanctioned for corruption), and Cinthia Monterroso (another prosecutor accused of corruption). The people are very tired of all the human rights violations, the violation of democracy. Recently, elections were held in Guatemala. The Public Ministry has sabotaged all the documentation, all the ballots, the electoral records. They have sabotaged them. Last Saturday, they entered the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to steal all the records, you know? As if they were criminals. And that is a major concern for the population.

So now, the population is mobilizing across the country. [Protests are] mainly being led by Indigenous authorities, and civil society and social organizations have joined in. The highways were blocked, and communities were speaking out in Q’eqchi’ [territories], as well as Ch’orti’, K’iche’, the Kaqchikeles of Sololá, and in different parts of the country…

So, as I mentioned, our reason [we’re protesting] is for all the human rights violations, the sabotage of electoral records. The elections took place, and the Public Ministry is not respecting the decision made by the people. So, the people of Guatemala are clear on what they are struggling for, why they are protesting. We are not defending a particular political party, but rather we are defending democracy in Guatemala and demanding that the decisions made by the Guatemalan people in the recent elections be respected.