Between 2005-2010, over 80 consultations took place in 11 of the 22 departments of Guatemala. Community consultations continue to be a powerful organizing tool in Guatemalan social movements. Resistances continue to organize them when necessary, and also commemorate past community consultations as a way to maintain unity in the struggle and teach new generations about the work of their community leaders and ancestors. NISGUA still frequently accompanies community consultation commemorations and legal processes in which governmental disregard for community consultations is a key issue.
For more context, we’re sharing this 2015 NISGUA report commemorating 10 years of community consultations in defense of land and life
📸 Communities from Santa Cruz del Quiché unanimously vote against resource extraction. Photo by James Rodriguez.