More than a Hundred Organizations Demand Justice for Assassination of Xinka Leader Noé Gómez Barrera A sign commemorating Noé Gómez Barrera's life says, "Martyr of the social struggle: Human Rights Defender Noé Gómez Barrera. We will follow the example of his struggle." Following the murder of Xinka human [...]
This action was updated on December 10 to reflect worsening attacks on Guatemalan democracy, after the Public Prosecutor's office (MP) held a press conference threatening to annul election results, an act which the Organisation of American States (OAS) called "an attempted coup d'etat." In light of ongoing attacks on democracy [...]
Over the past decade in Guatemala, criminalization has increasingly served as a strategy to stifle public participation in civic life. In most cases, Guatemalan authorities have collaborated with both business and military interests to criminalize those who seek justice and fight against impunity. Unending criminalization of Indigenous land defenders Early [...]
Nueva Jerusalen homes burned in violent eviction, photo credit: CCDA On the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples - Wednesday, August 9th - police and private security forces attacked the Xinka community of Nueva Jerusalen and ruthlessly burnt people's homes and possessions. Located in Escuintla, the sugar-cane [...]
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 [...]
Guatemala will hold presidential, congressional, and municipal elections on Sunday, June 25. The outgoing administration, led by President Alejandro Giammattei, has been marked by corruption scandals, the dismantling of judicial and accountability systems, the criminal prosecution of judges, prosecutors, and journalists, and the ever-increasing criminalization of land defenders and entire [...]
Former anti-corruption prosecutor Virginia Laparra Rivas faced another hearing date today. The court was considering Laparra's release from detention. Laparra, who formerly worked with the Special Prosecutor's Office against Impunity (FECI), has been arbitrarily detained since February 2022. For the sixth time, court magistrates dismissed her request for house arrest, [...]
By Jim Hodgson An Indigenous Xinca community on the Pacific coast, south of the Guatemalan capital, has the support of a Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking The Silence Network (BTS) partner in its effort to remain on their land. The 53 families of Nueva Jerusalén (New Jerusalem) have the backing of the Comité [...]
President Arbenz achieves: ‘Farmer, here is your land. Defend it, care for it, cultivate it.’” (C.P.R. Urbana from LIFE magazine). President Jacobo Arbenz (Cubadebate). Bitter Fruit tells the story of the 1954 coup. Tanks in front of the National Palace after the coup (TeleSUR). Seventy years after land reform promise, [...]
By Laura Robinson and María Reyes The court room in Puerto Barrios where Maria Cuc Choc's trial was held. Photo Credits: Laura Robinson On April 21st, 2022, BTS accompanied María Cuc Choc, who for the past 16 years has dedicated her life to defending the land and [...]
