In Guatemala, even in the darkest and most painful moments, life is sustained collectively. Solidarity, mutual support, and the simple act of showing up for one another provide the strength to continue. Sharing, accompanying, and moving forward together is not only a response to adversity—it is how communities resist, care for memory, and make space for new cycles.
From this place of solidarity and shared memory, we invite you to walk with us through some of the events and processes that shaped the beginning of the year:
🌳 Copal AA La Esperanza turned 30 this January. Founded by Mam and Q’anjob’al refugees in 1996, the community’s three decades of organization and environmental defense offer powerful lessons as Guatemala nears the 30th anniversary of its Peace Accords.
🕯️ In January, the Maya Ixil people mourned the loss of three genocide survivors and witnesses: Ana López, Pedro Herrera, and Pedro Brito. The testimonies of survivors like them have been the backbone of Guatemala’s fight for justice—yet they passed away without seeing justice and accountability in their lifetime, as genocide trials face continued postponement.
✊🏽 Two years after the 2023 National Strike—led by Indigenous Authorities to defend democracy—the state has responded with renewed criminalization, including the arrest of Basilio Bernardo Puac García (only available in Spanish), a former leader of the 48 Cantons of Totonicapán. His case, along with others, reflects an ongoing pattern of political persecution against Indigenous leadership and underscores that defending democracy in Guatemala continues to carry serious risks.
