People of Guatemala,

In recent years we have witnessed the direct effects of corruption and impunity by those whose duty it is to ensure collective wellbeing and justice, so this year, we decided as indigenous peoples to unite together to rescue our country and democracy and demand respect for our rights.

It is evident that those who occupy the institutions are increasingly distant from compliance with the laws and their true purpose, as well as from the mandate given by the people. What we see most is the repugnant corruption and the brazenness with which they look us in the eye while they trample us. We must build a different future and that is why even with this weak institutionality, we trust and go out in peace and vote to elect local representatives, mayors, members of congress, president and vice president, with the hope that each of them will fulfill the task of rescuing the country for the welfare of our future generations.

However, more than ever before, they decided to use the institutions to violate and trample democracy because they did not agree with the will of the people, that will that we express every four years. Thus, from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Consuelo Porras, Rafael Curruchiche and Judge Fredy Orellana decided to intensify their onslaught against democracy and the will of the people.

We have exhausted all means and procedures to stop these abuses, from communiqués, collection of signatures, complaints, injunctions and even meetings, but nothing has had any effect. The doors have been closed to us, to the point that that same Public Prosecutor’s Office has insisted that we too be violently repressed.

These responses and attitudes have led our communities to send us, as Indigenous Authorities, to fight for the recovery of democracy and the freedoms of the people of Guatemala. The mandate we received was clear and forceful: DEMAND THE RESIGNATION OF CONSUELO PORRAS, RAFAEL CURRUCHICHE, CINTYA MONTERROSO AND FREDY ORELLANA, officials of the Public Ministry and the Judiciary.

We sense that we are not alone in this journey. From the most remote communities to the neighborhoods closest to Guatemala City, we all agree that we must put an end to the destruction of democracy and the brazen corruption that threatens and harms Guatemala. With great joy and hope, we have witnessed unity among us to reclaim our country and its future. The most gratifying thing is that we are doing so in a peaceful, joyful and united manner.

You already know the results of our last meeting with President Alejandro Giammattei, whom we requested to ask the Attorney General to offer her resignation. However, with a total lack of ethics he hides behind legal mechanisms to justify inaction. Although he cannot remove her, according to him, the Political Constitution does give him that power to ask for her resignation, but he does not want to. Nevertheless, power rests in the people and the people must continue to demand that the corrupt coup perpetrators leave power.

People of Guatemala, communities, neighborhoods and zones, Maya, Garifuna, Xinka and Ladino compatriots, this struggle is advancing slowly but surely. We have not yet reached the objective with which we began 12 days ago, but we are very close, we have already begun to walk and we are shaking the foundations of corruption and injustice.

With faith in God, we are confident that those who are destroying democracy will fall. We therefore stand firm in our demands and continue with the peaceful demonstration, without faltering, until we achieve our goal. We understand the fatigue that has already become manifest, but today we have begun a historic struggle for the good of our country, and so we say again, not one step back.