Short film Pacoxom 2024 and World Day for International Justice By: Romi Fischer-Schmidt, New Hope Foundation Cooperant This short film, titled Pacoxom 2024 was shot during this year’s commemoration of the Rio Negro Massacres at Pacoxom. I created it for the New Hope Foundation (FNE) and for BTS. Special thanks [...]
Summer interns visit Just Us! Café and Roastery Just Us! Café and Roastery in Grand Pré By: Maren Mealey and Rae Millis, BTS summer interns On June 28th, Breaking the Silence (BTS) summer interns, Maren and Rae, had the privilege of visiting the Just Us! Café and Roastery in [...]
Ch’eken and other turning points of the rainy season’s arrival The rains have arrived and transformed Rabinal into a misty, lush and green landscape. By: Romi Fischer-Schmidt, New Hope Foundation cooperant Late on Monday June 10th, around 10 p.m., I received a call from Luis Tecú, the new [...]
We're so excited to share the BTS 2023 Year in Review, celebrating our accomplishments and recognizing the incredible contributions of our partners, staff, cooperants, interns, volunteer committees, and donors! The report also provides an overview of the Guatemalan context, including the historic, Indigenous-led, pro-democracy protests and includes updates from all [...]
CCDA leadership reads a statement denouncing corrupt actors threatening communities with eviction. After receiving information indicating that even more forced evictions may be carried out in the next few days, the CCDA shared the following: Statement from the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA) Greetings to the people [...]
Ten months after forced eviction, the Nueva Jerusalén Wiscoyol community is still landless By Mélisande Séguin, CCDA Cooperant On August 9, 2023, police and private security forces attacked the Xinka community of Nueva Jerusalén Wiscoyol and ruthlessly burnt people’s homes and possessions under the supervision of state authorities. Ten months [...]
poem from tribunal tower 42 years into the future: will we have unlearned genocide? April 24, 2024 By: Romi Fischer-Schmidt, New Hope Foundation cooperant This is a reflection on the experience of walking with four Maya Achi women survivors (Pedrina López Depaz, Paulina Ixpatá Alvarado, Máxima García Valey, Margarita Alvarado [...]
Criminalization Continues to Threaten the Agrarian Movement The CCDA speaks out against the criminalization of General Coordinator Neydi Juracán and the campesino movement. Photo credit: CCDA By Mélisande Séguin, CCDA Cooperant Criminalization is the malicious use of the criminal justice system to paralyze and repress movements for social [...]
Monday May 13, 2024 A Day Spent With Mother Earth Today started off with an omelette español and watermelon juice for breakfast, it was delicious! Then off we went to IMAP. What an amazing day today was, so much learning & so many fun tips and tricks to take back [...]
Sunday May 12, 2024 A Day Spent at the Markets This morning we woke up a little later than normal as the activities that were planned were nearby our hotel, which is the Pavarotti School in San Lucas Toliman. After a very yummy breakfast of eggs, beans, plantains and melon [...]
