Rapid Response Network

Hate speech incites violence. Deadly attacks on FMLN party members are occurring in a hostile atmosphere being fostered by President Nayib Bukele. On January 31, FMLN activists María Gloria Rogel de López and Juan de Dios Tejada were killed when gunmen opened fire on their pickup truck in San Salvador as they were returning from a campaign rally supporting the candidacy of Rogelio Canales for mayor of the capital. Three days later, armed gunmen entered the home of former FMLN Councilman José Berríos and shot him dead. President Bukele has been making unsubstantiated accusations that officials from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal are conspiring to commit fraud against him and his Nuevas Ideas political party, which will be running candidates for the first time on February 28.

Unknown men arrived at the home Julio David González Arango and shot him. Why? Julio González is a member of a movement called the Peaceful Resistance which for the past decade has been actively organizing opposition to the environmental harms caused by the Escobal silver mine, owned by the Canada-based multinational Pan American Silver. Fortunately, Julio González survived. But the very next day, two other members of the environmental resistance movement received death threats by text message: "you will be next." IRTF wrote to authorities in Guatemala, urging that they 1) conduct a complete, independent, and impartial investigation into the assassination attempt and death threats, publish the results, and bring those responsible to justice; 2) ensure that Pan American Silver respects a 2018 order of the Constitutional Court to halt mining operations and puts a stop to all its public relations work that is increasing tension in the region and is contributing to the insecurity of the residents. IRTF is also among 195 organizations from across the Americas that signed a letter directed at the leadership of Pan American Silver.

The police and military in Guatemala are using excessive force to expel caravans of migrants who entered Guatemala, most hoping to cross the country and arrive at the Mexico border to seek political asylum in Mexico or the United States. Of the estimated 7-8,000 migrants who crossed into Guatemala (largely Hondurans) since the week of January 11, about 2,000 migrants were slowed down by security forces who blockaded a highway near the village of Vado Hondo in southeastern Guatemala on January 16. The following day, hundreds of police and military pushed migrants south by launching teargas and surging with plastic shields and batons. Unknown numbers of migrants were beaten; many sought medical attention for their injuries. We are aware that the sheer number of migrants was overwhelming. We realize that Guatemala needs to protect its own citizens against the corona virus. Nevertheless, this show of force was excessive. Migrants have an internationally-recognized right to seek political asylum. We are urging that authorities in Guatemala: 1) assess the police and military response to the migrant caravan and bring to justice any security personnel who used force that caused serious bodily injury to migrants; 2) work with neighboring countries to allow for the safe passage of migrants who journey through Guatemala to pursue their internationally-recognized right to apply for political asylum in Mexico or the United States

We wrote to the attorney general of Guatemala regarding the criminalization of the Reverend Delia Adelina Leal Mollinedo, a Christian minister in Cobán, Alta Verapaz Department. In December she was providing hospitality for two young women in a precarious, unsafe living situation who sought refuge at her home. On December 29, police broke into her home and arrested her on charges of kidnapping, trafficking of minors, and obstruction of an investigation. She was not permitted to appear before a judge until January 6. She was eventually released from jail and placed under house arrest on January 11. We believe the charges against Delia Leal have been fabricated because of her human rights work on behalf of women and children. We are therefore urging that authorities in Guatemala: 1) immediately drop all charges against Delia Adelina Leal Molinedo and release her from house arrest; 2) take all necessary measures to guarantee her safety and security; 3) guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions and judicial harassment.

There was an attack on the home of LGBTI rights defender José Zambrano., who is receiving death threats. The day after he received the Franco-German Award for Human Rights and the Rule of Law in recognition of his four decades of human rights work, attackers set fire to his home. After he and three members of his family took shelter in another house, unknown individuals sent him death threats. We are urging that officials in Honduras: 1) investigate those responsible for setting fire to José Zambrano’s house and threatening his life, publish the results, and bring those responsible to justice; 2) ensure the right of human rights activists to carry out their work for justice in safety, under protection of the law.

We wrote to officials in the state government of Chiapas and the federal government of Mexico about verbal threats of violence made against fifteen members of the Jovel Valley Environmental Network in Chiapas. A group of aggressors threatened the environmentalists on December 29 while digging a ditch to help protect Maria Eugenia wetlands, a natural area of 115 hectares. A construction company is threatening the wetlands—the main source of drinking water for the área and habitat for a number of endangered species —by filling in land, paving, and building on top of the land. We are urging authorities to: 1) thoroughly and impartially investigate the verbal attacks and threats of violence against the members of the Jovel Valley Environmental Network, publish the results, and bring those responsible to justice; 2) adopt measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the members of the Jovel Valley Environmental Network.

Surveillance of social leader Leider Valencia Tumbo that suggests his life is being threatened. Leider Valencia Tumbo is well-known in Southwestern Colombia. He serves as a municipal delegate (Miranda, Cauca Department) for various social organizations, including: FENSUAGRO-CUT (National Federation of Agricultural Trade Unions-Central Union of Workers), PUPSOC (Process for Popular Unity of Southwestern Colombia), the Patriotic March, and notably COCCAM (National Organization of Cultivators of Coca, Poppy, and Marijuana). COCCAM functions as the Territorial Advisory Council for the implementation of the national Program for the Voluntary Substitution of Illicit Crops (PNIS). As we have mentioned in previous letters, COCCAM member farmers who are actively working to implement PNIS have increasingly suffered human rights abuses and have been the victims of assassinations: more than 50 killed since the Peace Accords were signed four years ago.

We wrote to officials in Colombia to urge investigations into the assassinations of eight social leaders across six departments during the last week of December, bringing the total to an astounding 310 assassinations of social leaders and other human rights defenders during 2020. The victims are: Felipe Guevara Henao- journalist (Dec 23 in Cali, Valle del Cauca Department); Fablio Armando Guanga Quistial- Awá indigenous activist (Dec 23 in Tumaco, Nariño Department); Pedro Alejandro Pérez Doria- town councilor (Dec 24 in San Pelayo, Córdoba Department); Roberto Eduardo Parra Ovalle - peasant farmer and environmental defender (Dec 25 in Mesetas, Meta Department); Juvenal Vitonás Achicué - indigenous community activist (Dec 26 in Toribío, Cauca); Luis Alberto Anay Ruiz – teacher (Dec 27 in Tumaco, Nariño Department); Omar Moreno- agricultural trade unionist (Dec 28, between Llorente and Pasto, Nariño Department); Norbey Antonio Rivera - agricultural trade unionist (Dec 30 in Popayán, Cauca Department). We are urging that authorities in Colombia guarantee thorough investigations to find the perpetrators of the atrocities listed above and provide all necessary security measures for social leaders to ensure full implementation of the provisions of the peace process.

A death threat was mailed (December 7) to journalists Marvin del Cid and Sonny Figueroa of the investigative news website Vox Populi in Guatemala City. The message warned the journalists to refrain from investigating and publishing their work “or else you’ll see.” Both journalists specialize in reporting on alleged corruption. In recent months they have published a series of investigations into alleged influence-peddling among individuals connected to President Alejandro Giammattei. Both have reported incidents of intimidation and obstruction this year, including police harassment in public spaces, an online smear campaign, and being singled out by President Giammattei for criticism at public events. These are further examples of the intimidation and harassment against journalists whose investigative reporting is making a vital contribution to democracy in Guatemala.

We wrote once again regarding the ongling criminalization of eight environmental defenders from the community of El Guapinol in Tocoa, Colón Department, who have been imprisoned in “preventive detention” awaiting formal charges since September 2019. A petition for their release was again denied on December 18. To bring attention to several identified environmental, social, human, and economic impacts of large scale mining projects in the Atlantic zone, residents of El Guapinol and surrounding communities (including the eight who are imprisoned) organized the Encampment on the Defense of Water and Life in August 2018. They pointed to contamination of the Guapinol and San Pedro Rivers resulting from an iron ore mine. There are legitimate concerns that the mine is contaminating drinking water sources for populations across three departments in northern Honduras. These eight environmental defenders are: Ewer Alexander Cedillo Cruz, José Abelino Cedillo, Cantarero, José Daniel Márquez Márquez, Kelvin Alejandro Romero Martínez, Porfirio Sorto Cedillo, Orbin Nahúm Hernández, Arnold Javier Alemán, and Jeremías Martínez. Because of the COVID-19 health crisis, their continued imprisonment exposes them to serious risks to their lives. We are therefore urging that authorities in Honduras: 1) immediately release them from preventive detention; 2) condemn the misuse of criminal law to control, neutralize and punish people who exercise the right to organize resistance in defense of land and waterways