Standing Together: Guatemala's Indigenous Communities Unite to Fight Political Corruption
A brief overview of the current state of Guatemala
Written by Rosa Arellano & Madelene Rodriguez
Guatemala has been going through political unrest since August following presidential candidate Bernardo Arevalo’s win. He ran a campaign promoting anti-corruption through his political party, Movimiento Semilla, and won the popular vote. Elite politicians that go against Arevalo label him a communist and accuse him of wanting to deprive the rich of their land (Gonzalez Diaz). Attorney General Consuelo Porras, who claims she is “investigating the election,” has been accused by the indigenous community of trying to undo the election by seizing ballot boxes. Noe Gomez Barrera, a protester, “felt hope that Guatemala could change, that they could finally build a just and honest nation. And when he saw the attorney general's office raid the electoral commission, he was enraged.” (Fadel). Therefore, Indigenous communities have stepped up and begun protesting the government, blocking streets, and striking, resulting in $366 million in losses from exports (Montes).
A group of indigenous authorities from Tecpán, Guatemala, presented a document on October 24 to amend Article 14 of the Organic Law of the Public Ministry, prompting Attorney General Porras’ removal. The amendment ensures that there will be no abuse of power, unlike the current law that would have Porras launch an investigation to remove herself from her own position (Roman & Sanchez). The Indigenous leaders hope that the law reform will put an end to the crisis that Guatemala is facing.
Despite the attempts to overturn the election results, the strength and resilience of Indigenous groups, protestors, and those who support Arevalo and Movimiento Semilla are essential to prevent further corruption. Nearly half of Guatemala’s population self-identifies as indigenous, with more than 20 languages spoken around the country. The indigenous community always advocates for their rights even though the government has kept them marginalized politically, socially, and economically for decades. We must stand together with the Guatemalan people so that their voices may be heard and their rights are respected.
Sources
De Aguila, Lucila, and Mary Speck. “Guatemala: Indigenous Leaders Take Democracy Campaign Nationwide.” United States Institute of Peace, www.usip.org/publications/2023/10/guatemala-indigenous-leaders-take-democracy-campaign-nationwide.
Fadel, Leila. “Guatemala Enters a 5th Day of a National Strike Brought on by a Political Crisis.” NPR, 6 Oct. 2023, www.npr.org/2023/10/06/1204098136/guatemala-enters-a-5th-day-of-a-national-strike.
Gonzalez Diaz. “Elecciones En Guatemala: Bernardo Arévalo, El Candidato Que Dio La Sorpresa Y Se Convertirá En El Presidente Más Progresista Desde El Retorno a La Democracia Hace Casi 40 Años.” BBC News Mundo, 21 Aug. 2023, www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-66567019.
Montes, Juan. “Protests in Guatemala Close Roads, Choke Exports.” WSJ, 17 Oct. 2023, www.wsj.com/world/americas/protests-in-guatemala-close-roads-choke-exports-cab9923d.
Roman, Julio, and Leslie Sanchez. “Autoridades Indígenas Buscan Que Se Reforme La Ley Orgánica Del MP Para Permitir Que Jefes De Esa Institución Puedan Ser Removidos Del Cargo.” Prensa Libre, 24 Oct. 2023, www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/elecciones-generales-guatemala-2023/autoridades-indigenas-buscan-que-se-reforme-la-ley-organica-del-mp-para-permitir-que-jefes-del-mp-puedan-ser-removidos-del-cargo-breaking.