Guatemala

On December 17, the Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project posted, “Today we observed the first declaration hearing in the Semuy 2 case.”

PBI-Guatemala adds, “The judge linked the eight accused persons to trial in the context of the death of three soldiers on September 4 in the community of Izabal. Four of them were favored with house arrest. The Firm for Indigenous Peoples leads the defense in this case.”

“They were heaven sent. They always seemed to be there at the right time.” - Tita Dadilla, Mexican human rights defender, on PBI volunteers

In celebration of International Human Rights Day, we are proud to announce the release of ‘The Defenders’, a short film by Manu Valcarce exploring the experience of being a human rights defender in countries where the rule of law is fragile.

This December, and continuously, PBI puts human rights defenders at the center, in the position they deserve given the fundamental role they play in the protection of human rights and the construction of fair and peaceful societies.

Human rights defenders continue to provide voices for the voiceless, pushing for social justice. They often risk their lives to stand up for what they believe in, holding states to account and pushing for human rights to be respected, protected and fulfilled.

On November 30, the Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Projected posted, “The day before yesterday we accompanied CCDA Verapaz to visit the communities of Xyaal Kobee and Xa Jobche in the municipality of Cobán.”

PBI-Guatemala began accompanying the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA), a campesino organization that accompanies and advises mostly Indigenous communities on land rights issues, in July 2018.

About 40 percent of the population of Guatemala is indigenous.

On November 27, the Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project posted on its Facebook page, “Today we accompanied the BDH [the Human Rights Law Firm] in the first declaration hearing of General Mendoza García in the accusation of genocide and duties against humanity against the Ixil people.”

PBI-Guatemala adds, “The defendant participated via video-conference from the Mariscal Zavala prison. Today the MP [Public Ministry] accused the crimes, and tomorrow the statement of Mendoza Garcia is expected.”

March 19, 2019

March 4, 2019

The following is a joint press release of the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and Union for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala (UDEFEGUA), released in Spanish and translated into English by PBI-USA.

February 6, 2019

On January 7, Guatemala's institutional crisis reached a climax. The government unilaterally terminated the agreement with the United Nations for the permanence of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), granting a period of 24 hours for its officials to leave the country. The decision was announced by the Minister of Foreign Relations, Sanda Jovel, to the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres.

January 25, 2019

December 14, 2019