Xinka Parliament Recognized with Prestigious Human Rights Award

The Xinka Parliament accepts the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation's Human Rights Award, photo credit: Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation On June 6, the Xinka Parliament was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation's annual Human Rights Award. The award honors human rights defenders who face oppression [...]

2023-06-28T17:19:23-04:00June 28th, 2023|Defense of Territory, General blog|

Guatemala Votes with Memory: Surprising Outcomes in First Round of Presidential Elections

Guatemalan presidential elections took place on Sunday. Hopes were low in the lead-up given a slate of far-right candidates backed by the Pacto de Corruptos (Covenant of the Corrupt), high-level bribery accusations, months of rival presidential candidates’ exclusions from the race, and a context of ever-increasing repression and criminalization. But [...]

Concerns Abound as Elections Approach

Guatemala will hold elections on June 25. With none of the presidential candidates likely to receive the necessary majority to win outright, runoffs for president will almost inevitably be held in August.  Candidates Blocked Several significant presidential contenders have been excluded from the race. Popular presidential candidate, Thelma Cabrera, was [...]

Day 5: Rancho Bejuco Trial – Testimonies Speak to Genocidal Violence, Role of Parallel Forces

The court buildings where hearings are taking place. Photo credit: Lenora June 15, 2023 Written by Lenora A Pattern of Genocidal Violence Four witnesses shared recorded testimonies today. While the sound was not very good and it is preferable to have the witness present, it was crucial to [...]

Day 4: Rancho Bejuco Trial – Survivors Continue to Share Painful Testimony

June 14, 2023 Written by Lenora [Content warning: Survivor testimony contains graphic and disturbing descriptions of the aftermath of the massacre.] Three more witnesses from Rabinal gave testimonies today. Three Witnesses Remember the Family Members They Lost, Demand Justice The first witness, Paulina Alvarado Ixpatá, is one of the 36 [...]

Day 3: Rancho Bejuco Trial – Survivors, Expert Witnesses Speak

June 13, 2023 Written by Lenora [Content warning: Survivor testimony contains graphic descriptions of the aftermath of the massacre.] Today witnesses for the prosecution continued to provide testimony in the Rancho Bejuco case. As a reminder, 11 men stand accused in the Rancho Bejuco massacre. On July 29, 1982, 10 [...]

Remembering Wilf Bean

Wilf (second from right) and BTS members and supporters on the 2016 Boat Cruise Dear BTS community, We write to you with full but heavy hearts as we share the news that on June 15th Wilf Bean, longtime BTS member and life partner of BTS founder Kathryn Anderson, passed on. [...]

2022-06-20T08:17:53-04:00June 20th, 2022|General blog|

Official Book Launch of In the Arms of Inup

Jeremias Tecu with Lynne Duffy and Susanne Litke signing copies of In the Arms of Inup On May 28th, 2022, Eve Mills Allen and Jeremias Tecu attended the Breaking the Silence Annual Gathering for the first in-person book launch of In the Arms of Inup. Released in 2021 by [...]

2022-06-09T13:13:20-04:00June 9th, 2022|General blog|
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