On May 28, the Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project posted on its Facebook page: “Yesterday, PBI accompanied the TZK’AT Network of Ancestral Healers in the hearing of the human rights defender, Delia Leal Mollinedo. The judge decided to give the MP [Public Ministry] two more months for the investigation.”

Delia Adelina Leal Mollinedo

Prensa Comunitaria has noted: “Leal is a renowned human rights defender from Cobán, a feminist educator, educator and theologian, is also pastor of the Luz Baptist Church and was the driving force for an initiative for the implementation of a student center, which grants scholarships to impoverished and at-risk children in the region.”

Front Line Defenders has also explained: “Delia Adelina Leal Mollinedo is committed to promoting sexual and reproductive health to women from indigenous communities of the Q’eqchi’ y Poqomchi’ region of Guatemala.”

“On 20 December 2020, Delia Adelina Leal Mollinedo was arrested by members of the Guatemalan National Civil Police at her home in Coban, Alta Verapaz.”

“On 11 January, the Second Court of First Criminal Instance of Cobán confirmed a number of charges against woman human rights defender Delia Adelina Leal Mollinedo.”

“The Court dismissed more serious charges of human trafficking, money laundering and falsification of media for which she was also accused.”

Front Line Defenders has expressed: “Its deep concern regarding the process of investigation of Delia Adelina Leal Mollinedo and her arrest and detention which appear to be directly related to her work defending human rights, in particular children’s and women’s rights.”

TZK’AT

The TZK’AT Network of Ancestral Healers of Community Feminism from Ixmulew in Guatemala was formed in October 2015 to defend Indigenous women’s rights and the land. Many of its members are healers, midwives, and herbalists.

Lorena Cabnal is a Qeqchi Xinca, communal feminist, healer, and member of TZK’AT. She has written (in Spanish) that the network “accompanies processes of emotional and spiritual recovery by Indigenous women defenders of bodies and land.”

PBI-Guatemala has accompanied TZK’AT since February 2018.

Photo: Prensa Comunitaria photo of Delia Adelina Leal Mollinedo being released from prison, January 11, 2021.

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