In October 2023, Indigenous Authorities across Guatemala called for a National Strike to defend democracy and the will of the people following attempts to undermine the electoral results. For 106 days, Indigenous leaders, communities, and allies organized peaceful road blockades, gatherings, and permanent protests across the country, including in Guatemala City. The mobilization became a historic movement led by Indigenous Authorities to demand transparency, respect for the popular vote, and an end to corruption.
During the strike, on October 28, 2023, Xinka community leader Noé Gómez Barrera, a member of the Ancestral Authorities of the Xinka Parliament who had participated in the mobilizations, was assassinated in Jutiapa, highlighting the risks faced by Indigenous leaders defending democracy and territory. Read more about the assassination of Xinka leader Noé Gómez Barrera here.
📸 Indigenous Authorities gather in peaceful protest during Guatemala’s 2023 National Strike. Photo by Carlos Ernesto Choc.