Third in a series by Jim HodgsonRead the second post here Many supporters of Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking The Silence Network (BTS) and other solidarity groups across Canada know Leocadio Juracán and the organization he has been part of since 1989: the Comité Campesino del Altiplano – CCDA (Highlands Committee of Small [...]
Seven lay catechists and three priests murdered four decades ago in Quiché were beatified by the Roman Catholic Church on April 21, 2021. Among them was Fr. Juan Alonso (right), a Spanish missionary priest who served the parish in Lancetillo. Second in a series by Jim Hodgson Read [...]
(In the Plaza de Niñas, families of the victims and survivors of the Hogar Virgen de la Asunción fire place flowers in the cardinal directions in preparation for a ceremony on the morning of International Women’s Day. Credits: Laura Robinson) Around the world, March 8th, 2022, International Women’s Day, [...]
By: Laura Robinson (BTS Cooperant) On February 13th, I accompanied the Rabinal Legal Clinic and The New Hope Foundation School to what had been used as a clandestine cemetery in Xococ, a town outside of Rabinal. It was the 38th anniversary of the Xococ massacre during which the Guatemalan army [...]
Laura Robinson is a BTS Cooperant based in Rabinal. She's doing work with the Rabinal Legal Clinic and the New Hope Foundation. I arrived in Rabinal seemingly at one of the busiest times of year as the annual fair was beginning. Everyday the streets filled with more and more [...]
January 2020 is off to a great start with the beginning of Laura Robinson’s Community Development Cooperant placement at both the Rabinal Legal Clinic and the New Hope Foundation in Rabinal. Over the next six months, Laura will support the Legal Clinic in the areas of research, communications and fundraising [...]
Laura Robinson arrived in Guatemala in late October and has made excellent strides in learning spanish as well as navigating some of the social, political and cultural complexities of the region. She spent two weeks in Xela learning spanish and then spent nearly two weeks with the BTS delegation which [...]
On Thursday, June 6th, a Guatemala City Court held the latest preliminary hearing against 6 former Civil Patrollers accused of committing sexual violence in Rabinal during the Internal Armed Conflict. The case has been brought forward by 36 Achi survivors of sexual violence committed from 1981 to 1985. Thursday’s hearing [...]
Mayra Jimenez of Ocho Tijax spoke throughout the Maritimes from February 28th to March 9th, in lead up to the 2nd anniversary of the Hogar Seguro tragedy. She visited Fredericton, Sackville, Halifax, Antigonish and Tatamagouche, sharing the story of the 56 girls. The tragedy occurred on March 8, 2017. Police [...]
This past month, over 3,700 individuals took action in support of Guatemalan communities right to say “No” to Tahoe Resources’ Escobal mine. The action re-sent a letter delivered to Tahoe Resources’ offices in Reno, NV and Guatemala City by allies at the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) and representatives [...]
