“This is all of our struggle. Who doesn’t breathe this air? Who doesn’t drink this water? Who doesn’t feel the rays of the shining sun on their face? Standing up for life – this is my husband’s crime. How many of our brothers and sisters have given their lives for life? For more than 500 years, people have tried to instill fear into us. We need to join together in this struggle….it’s all of our struggle.” – Juana Mendez, wife of political prisoner Rigoberto Juarez.

For more information on community consultations in Guatemala and the pattern of criminalizing leaders, read NISGUA’s latest report: Commemorating 10 years of community consultations in defense of life. The report is also available in Spanish.Saturday, people gathered in Huehuetenango for the second Solidarity Festival with political prisoners. Since the first festival last December, six more land defenders from Huehuetenango have been arrested on trumped-up charges, as part of a state and corporate strategy to silence opposition to resource extraction projects in Guatemala. This brings the total to eight.

Families of Huehue political prisoners light candles to bring strength to their loved ones in dark times. pic.twitter.com/k10tO8It54The messages of the day were simple: Stop criminalizing legitimate struggles for the defense of land and freedom for political prisoners. Musicians came to show their support and unite struggles, including from La Puya who know first hand what it is like to have their movements criminalized by the heavy hand of an unjust legal system manipulated by corporate power.

— NISGUA (@NISGUA_Guate) June 21, 2015

Rubén Herrera, who has spent the last several years either in jail or battling arrest warrants was present. “I know what it’s like to be in prison,” he said. “These courts won’t give us justice. These arrests are supported by the companies, but I’m here to tell you what those who are in prison would tell you if they could be here. We won’t accept this – not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow. The struggle we’re in is to change our country. That’s why we’re here.”

Over the next few months, we invite you to participate in NISGUA’s summer of base-building and host a house party. Those gathered will be invited to send a letter of encouragement to the political prisoners and one to the U.S. Embassy, expressing concern for the growing manipulation and corruption of the Guatemalan justice system in order to persecute human rights defenders. Gather together to celebrate, find inspiration, and draw connections from community-based movements for self-determination occurring throughout Guatemala, and strengthen our home network for justice and social change.

House parties are already being organized in San Francisco, Madison, Portland, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and Toronto, Canada. Don’t see your city on the list? Write to megan[at]nisgua.org to host an event or find other ways to get connected. Stay tuned for an online version of our action to support political prisoners in Huehuetenango.