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 [...]
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 [...]
Topacio fue una joven artista, activista y líder en su comunidad de Mataquescuintla, Jalapa. Tocaba la guitarra, cantaba, escribía y recitaba poemas, dibujaba, pintaba, era hija, hermana, amiga, y alzaba la voz para defender a su comunidad contra la explotación minera. Como muchas otras personas en Guatemala, Topacio [...]
During this interactive webinar, we collectively reflected on the various forms mining resistance can take, how mining resistance functions in both Guatemala and in Canada, and our futures within mining resistance work. This webinar consisted of 4 guest speakers who gave updates on current mining resistance efforts [...]
A la Resistencia Pacífica de Mataquescuintla, Jalapa En el marco del 9a aniversario de la consulta municipal de Mataquescuintla, las organizaciones firmantes deseamos expresar nuestras felicitaciones a la lucha digna de la Resistencia Pacífica del pueblo de Mataquescuintla. Sabemos que ustedes están enfrentando un monstruo del modelo extractivista - el [...]
Today six U.S. and Canadian human rights and environmental organizations filed a letter with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) supporting a request to extend precautionary measures for activists opposed to the Escobal mine in Guatemala. The mine has faced strong local opposition from the day it started operations in 2011, opposition that [...]
Photos taken during the pre-consultation phase meetings for the Escobal Mine (Photo credit: Xinka Parliament) In Guatemala, the unfortunate social and economic effects of the spread of COVID-19 can be observed. Guatemala is currently situated 2nd amongst Central American countries based on biweekly confirmed COVID cases per million. [...]
We are very excited to announce the recipients of the 6th annual Topacio Reynoso Pacheco Award! Since 2016, this award has recognized and supported the efforts of youth groups in Guatemala who engage in creative resistance to defend their territory by inspiring youth to organize and use art for the [...]
Photo taken during the pre-consultation phase meetings for the Escobal Mine (Photo credit: Xinka Parliament) Written by: Maria Reyes and Indigo Christ After multiple delays, the first meeting of the pre-consultation process for the Escobal mine was held at the Xinka Parliament’s offices in Cuilapa, Santa Rosa, on [...]
[Direct Translation from Spanish, Original Below] Pre-consultation Process for the Mining Rights of the Escobal Mine Begins The office of the Xinka Parliament of Guatemala (PAPXIGUA), located in Cuilapa, Santa Rosa, was present at the first meeting of the pre-consultation phase for the Escobal mining law case, a milestone in [...]
