Guatemala: News & Updates

Assassination of Juana Ramírez Santiago, age 57, a women’s rights advocate and member of the Mayan Ixil community in Nebaj municipality, Quiche Department.

President Morales’ announcement on August 31 to not renew the mandate of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) and the resulting harassment and intimidation of prominent human rights leaders and their organizations.

Attack on Rolanda de Jesús García Hernandez, an indigenous Mayan K'iche journalist working for teleSUR, an international television network, who was reporting on environmental destruction.

Beating, arrest, and arbitrary detention on August 14 of Edwin Choc and Martín Chub, local leaders of the Farmer’s Committee of the Highlands (CCDA). Police detained them in Cobán, Alta Verapaz Department, after they attended a meeting with government authorities that was part of the Permanent Dialogue between authorities, campesino and indigenous communities.

Murder of Ángel Estuardo Quevado on July 12 in the municipality of Santa Rosa de Lima, Santa Rosa Department, Guatemala. He resided in the municipality of Casillas and was a member of the Peaceful Resistance movement of Santa Rosa, Jalapa, and Jutiapa that is demanding the permanent closure of the Escobal silver mine, owned by your company and operated by your subsidiary, Minera San Rafael, S.A.

Assassination of Juana Raymundo, age 25, a nurse and member of the Campesino Development Committee (CODECA). She disappeared the night of July 27 from Nebaj in Quiché Department. On July 28 neighbors found her dead body, showing signs of torture, near a small river between the Nebaj and Acambalam communities.

assassination of indigenous and environmental human rights defender Ángel Estuardo Quevedo in Santa Rosa de Lima, Santa Rosa Department, on July 12. He was a member of the Peaceful Resistance of Santa Rosa, Jalapa and Jutiapa. The group has been organizing community opposition to the Escobal silver mine, owned by Canada-based Tahoe Resources and operated in partnership with Guatemala-based Minera San Rafael, S.A.

Environmental defenders have been subjected to smear campaign, threats, and police violence.