“They’ll be met with massive organization and struggle” – NISGUA interviews Maya Mam community leader José Gómez of ACODET
In the lead-up to our fall speaking tour, "How to Stop a Dam with Indigenous Resistance," NISGUA sat down with José Gómez, Maya Mam community leader and member of the Association of Communities for Development and the Defense of Land and Natural Resources (ACODET), to discuss the importance of indigenous organizing, grassroots exchange, and community consultations. José will join [...]
New NISGUA report: 18 years seeking justice in the courts
Next week, a verdict is expected in the retrial of José Mauricio Rodríguez Sánchez, former head of military intelligence under General José Efraín Ríos Montt’s 1982-1983 dictatorship in Guatemala. Rodríguez Sánchez faces charges of genocide and crimes against humanity for the particular role he played in classifying the entire Ixil population as enemies of the state and gathering and [...]
Survivors of the Internal Armed Conflict Denounce Current Remilitarization
This morning, survivors of the internal armed conflict held a press conference to denounce remilitarization under President Jimmy Morales' government and call for the renewal of the mandate for the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). Since Jimmy Morales, surrounded by soldiers, held a press conference on August 31 to announce he would not renew CICIG's mandate past [...]
Organizaciones de Sobrevivientes Denuncian Militarización, Influencia del Ejercito
En una conferencia de prensa, organizaciones de sobrevivientes del conflicto armado interno rechazaron tanto la influencia del ejercito en el gobierno de Jimmy Morales, como la militarización de la seguridad pública y la corrupción de funcionarios del Estado. Las personas recordaron al público el rol del mismo ejercito en masacres y violencia durante el conflicto, que resultaron en 200,000 muertos [...]
Political Crisis Unfolds in Guatemala: A timeline
Featured photo credit: La Hora GT For weeks, Guatemala has made international headlines after President Jimmy Morales announced his government will not renew the mandate for the UN-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), an independent anti-corruption body that has had significant impact in the country since its inception 12 years ago. Days after his announcement, he [...]
“Any presumption of his innocence has crumbled. I ask the courts to find Rodríguez Sánchez guilty of genocide.” – Edgar Pérez
"We're motivated to come here - come and listen, to see whether or not there will be justice in Guatemala." Today, the genocide retrial against former head of military intelligence José Mauricio Rodríguez Sánchez moved into powerful closing arguments, where plaintiffs synthesized key points in the multi-year trial to prove that Rodríguez Sánchez played a critical [...]