Guatemala is on the verge of a political coup amid election turmoil. In the country’s recent presidential election, progressive candidate Bernardo Arévalo secured his victory with 58% of the votes, defeating the former first lady Sandra Torres’s 37%. The unprecedented victory of this dark horse candidate has provoked wrath and fear in the country’s political […]
Tag: Guatemala
Guatemalan Maya Take the Country to Court
On February 9, Indigenous elder Rodrigo Tot testified before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) on behalf of Agua Caliente, a Q’eqchi’ Maya community. For the first time in history, in Maya Q´eqchi´ Indigenous Community of Agua Caliente v. Guatemala, Guatemala is facing judgment in international court for violating Indigenous collective land rights. The […]
‘Unscientific’: Commission on Education, Science, and Technology in Guatemala Unanimously Votes for Anti-Trans Bill
Content Warning: This article mentions reports of transphobia, homophobia, and sexual violence. In December 2021, 21 lawmakers in the Guatemalan Congress’ Commission on Education, Science, and Technology unanimously approved Bill 5940, a prejudicial measure that restricts adolescents’ access to information about transgender identity. Since Bill 5940 was unanimously approved by the Commission on Education, Science […]
The Long Road To Peace In Central America
Can Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador Band Together to Banish the Gangs? In November 2016, the three Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador announced the establishment of a multinational taskforce to combat gangs and cross-border violence in the region. The three form Central America’s “Northern Triangle”, a region that often appears in […]
Guatemala’s new president, the comedian—Morales’ Morality Campaign
Beginning in April, Guatemala’s streets swelled with massive weekly protests calling for two goals: for President Otto Perez Molina to step down, and to end political impunity and corruption, two traits with entrenched legacies in Guatemala. Both the people and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), a UN-backed investigative committee which began work […]
An Agri-Culture of Settlement
Increasingly serious labor shortages are putting America’s conveniently low food prices at risk. Yet, Obama’s recent executive action on immigration does little to assuage the agricultural labor crisis and could possibly exacerbate the shortage. The shortage problem is challenging the agriculture industry to adapt and may lead to the establishment of a more efficient food […]