On May 17, the Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project posted on their Facebook page: “On Sunday, PBI accompanied the Multisectoral Chinautla in the assembly for the election of Cocodes.”

Cocodes refers to Community Councils for Urban and Rural Development.

They are configured as the coordinating body for participation at the community level and comprised of the residents of the corresponding community.

Prensa Libre has explained: “Cocodes are part of the National System of Development Councils – of constitutional creation – and their objective is to promote the economic, social and cultural development of their community, as well as to promote the participation of the population in the identification and solution of their problems.”

PBI-Guatemala has previously explained: “Since 1989, the Chinautla Multisector have been defending their right to be consulted on the activities of various clay extraction companies operating in their territory. They are also defending their territory against the pollution caused by other businesses operating in the region.”

It adds: “Furthermore, the population has been affected by the pollution of the river, which comes from the rubbish dump in Zone 3 of the Capital City, a problem that increases during the rainy season.”

In their just-released April 2021 monthly information package, PBI-Guatemala also notes: “We have maintained telephone contact with Multisector Chinautla, in particular, to follow up on the visit to the Ministry of the Environment.”

PBI-Guatemala received a request for accompaniment from the Multisector, as they have been subject to attacks and criminalization.

They began accompanying them in December 2018.

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