We're so excited to share the BTS 2023 Year in Review, celebrating our accomplishments and recognizing the incredible contributions of our partners, staff, cooperants, interns, volunteer committees, and donors! The report also provides an overview of the Guatemalan context, including the historic, Indigenous-led, pro-democracy protests and includes updates from all [...]
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 [...]
Statement of Solidarity with Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network The Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network expresses its solidarity with Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc following the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the federally-mandated residential school located in Kamloops, British Columbia. We stand in solidarity with First [...]
By: Maria Reyes, Consultant for communications support for the SAGE project The Indigenous and small-scale farmers of Jalapa, Jutiapa and Santa Rosa have historically had to face adverse contexts such as discrimination, poverty and extractive projects. In these contexts people have always fought collectively and in these times of a [...]
BTS joined 300+ organizations in releasing a statement which denounces the four ways multinational #mining companies are profiting from the #COVID19 pandemic, at the expense of people and planet. Read the statement and full list of signatories below. The mining industry is one of the most polluting, deadly, and destructive [...]
We ask that you write letters to the Government of Guatemala and the Canadian Embassy to Guatemala by Friday, May 8th calling on officials to defend the rights of the most vulnerable in their response to COVID-19.
The Xinka Parliament and the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) support and stand in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders, who are resisting the incursion of the Coastal Gaslink (CGL) pipeline on their unceded territory. We - Xinka people and Xinka Parliament in Guatemala - have been engaged in a [...]
From November 4th – 11th, Marcelo Sabuc of the Highlands Committee of Small Farmers (CCDA) spoke throughout the Maritimes regarding threats against human rights defenders in Guatemala and the deteriorating political situation in the country. During the speaking tour, Marcelo visited 7 communities: Antigonish, Halifax, Wolfville, Sackville, Fredericton, Charlottetown and [...]
~Please distribute widely. Many of you know Angelica and she and others need your support now! Individual and organizational sign-ons needed! Angelica Choc has denounced the murder of her husband, Maya Q'eqchi' activist and leader Adolfo Ich, in Europe and Canada. Dear friends, We’re looking for individual and [...]
Summer got off to a great start with the BTS AGM in late June. This year our invited guest was Franklin Valenzuela from the Mataquescuintla, Jalapa youth organization JODVID (Youth Organized in Defense of Life). From June 18- 26, Franklin traveled and met with numerous solidarity, university and civil society [...]
