By Raphael Freston Water is ubiquitous this time of year in San Lucas Tolimán. Streets become streams; fields become swamps. The sky, the silvery sky, feels ever closer and heavier. Fog creeps into every corner, burying San Lucas in one vast cloud. You can see no more than an arm’s [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Members of the CCDA and BTS travel to Macho Creek to learn community members' ties to the land. Photo credit: Raphael Freston By: Raphael Freston, a cooperant with the Highlands Small Farmers Committee (CCDA) Shifting Seasons Come April, fireflies flit through San Lucas Tolimán at dawn. Community members [...]
(Photo taken during manifestations in the capital. The sign reads: No danger, killer state. Gendri Reyes: leave your position now. Alejandro Giammattei: Stop lying. Consuelo Porras: stop surveilling!) Written by María Reyes On Thursday, January 13th, 2022, the plenary of the Congress of the Republic approved Agreement 1-2022, by [...]
Written by: BTS Cooperant Indigo Christ Marking women’s history month and the one-year anniversary of the global pandemic, March has brought an acute awareness and action for the increase of gender-based violence in Guatemala over the past year. March also marks the arrival of the first vaccines to Guatemala and [...]
Sign the letter and send to your MP and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. December 5, 2017 The Atlantic Region Solidarity Network (ARSN) is a group of individuals and organizations based in Atlantic Canada that works to raise awareness about and stand in solidarity with human rights, social and environmental [...]
Central Nova, Cumberland-Colchester candidates reply to questions re human rights abuses of Canadian companies abroad and support for Open for Justice campaign. Tories do not respond. The Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) supports the Open for Justice campaign that seeks to ensure that people whose human rights have been [...]
Will You Make Canada Open for Justice? Full responses Central Nova, Cumberland-Colchester candidates If you are elected as the MP for your riding, will you work in Parliament to: Create an independent extractive-sector Ombudsperson in Canada, with the power to investigate complaints and make recommendations, including suspending or ending Canadian [...]
Guatemalan Elections: A comedy or a tragedy? By Jackie McVicar, BTS Staff Tatamagouche, NS Guatemalan Elections: A comedy or a tragedy? (See our previous post: Guatemalan Elections Go Ahead Amidst Corruption Scandal) Guatemalans marching down 6th Avenue towards the city's Central Plaza. Yesterday, Guatemalans took to the streets [...]
