Afro-Descendant & Indigenous: News & Updates

In Guatemala, widespread protests have erupted against corruption and impunity within the government. Demonstrators demand the resignation of corrupt officials, including Attorney General Consuelo Porras, and express frustration over a history of oppressive systems. Indigenous leaders and various sectors of society have joined an indefinite national strike since October 2nd, seeking dialogue with the government. Despite attempts at peaceful resolution, the government responded with repression, deploying police and military forces. President Giammattei's lack of political will to address corruption led to continued protests. Paramilitary groups and drug traffickers threatened protesters, intensifying the situation. President-elect Bernardo Arévalo sought support from the U.S., but the long-term interests of both countries differ. The unity of the Guatemalan people, including those in the diaspora, remained strong. Peaceful protests at the Public Ministry persisted despite government attempts to disperse them. The demonstrations, spanning various sectors and communities, echoed the historic resistance of Indigenous Peoples, marking a collective demand for democracy, the right to protest, and an end to corruption and impunity in Guatemala.

Indigenous-led protests in Guatemala City continue for the third week, demanding the resignation of the attorney general and judicial officials accused of undermining democracy. Indigenous authorities have initiated blockades nationwide, fearing efforts to prevent President-elect Bernardo Arévalo from taking office. Despite facing threats and attacks, the demonstrations are marked by resilience and solidarity, featuring music, art, and community support. Protesters vow to stay until officials resign, emphasizing the importance of democracy in their struggle against government corruption and oppression.

Guatemalan Interior Minister Napoleón Barrientos resigned amid ongoing pro-democracy protests and disagreements within President Alejandro Giammattei's administration on handling roadblocks. Barrientos, favoring dialogue with protesters, stepped down after a shooting near a roadblock. Attorney General Consuelo Porras, demanding immediate blockades removal, had called for Barrientos' dismissal. The unidentified shooters prompted condemnation from Barrientos' ministry. Indigenous groups, protesting alleged interference in elections, vow to maintain roadblocks until Porras and prosecutors resign. The government appointed a replacement, emphasizing adherence to the rule of law. Barrientos' resignation reflects administration weakness amid civil unrest.

The 2023 election in Guatemala reflects decades of human rights violations since colonial times, leading to power consolidation among a few for economic interests. Despite this, Guatemalan people, including indigenous groups and civil society organizations, have protested against authoritarian actions by the government. The elections faced challenges, including opposition candidate prohibitions and alleged voter fraud. The government’s actions, collusion between institutions, and attempts to control the justice system pose threats to democracy. The future remains uncertain, with attention focused on key dates: October 31, when Semilla’s suspension could resume, and January 14, 2024, the presidential inauguration, pending resolution of democracy-related issues. Amidst theses challenges, Guatemalan people persist in defending their rights, resisting oppression, and mobilizing for change. NISGUA calls for global solidarity with Guatemalan people in their struggle for democracy.  

On behalf of IRTF’s Rapid Response Network (RRN) members, we wrote six letters this month to heads of state and other high-level officials in Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras, urging their swift action in response to human rights abuses occurring in their countries.  We join with civil society groups in Latin America to: (1) protect people living under threat, (2) demand investigations into human rights crimes, (3) bring human rights criminals to justice.

Volunteers with the Rapid Response Network (RRN)—together with IRTF staff—write letters in response to six urgent human rights cases each month. We send copies of these letters to US ambassadors, embassy human rights officers, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, regional representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and desk officers at the US State Department. To read the letters, see https://www.irtfcleveland.org/content/rrn , or ask us to mail you hard copies.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has declared a one-month economic, social, and environmental emergency in La Guajira, a desert region in northeast Colombia. This declaration allows for crucial investments in education, health, tourism, and water supply. La Guajira is a major energy source for Colombia, with a coal mining industry and potential for wind farms. The region is also home to the Wayúu indigenous reservation, which has long suffered neglect as energy companies extracted resources without benefiting the Wayúu.

Representing a fifth of the country’s indigenous population, Wayúu communities in La Guajira face extreme poverty, malnutrition, and a lack of access to clean water due to the dry climate. President Petro's initiative aims to develop renewable energy while ensuring wealth redistribution to the indigenous population. Historically, extractive industries have left locals impoverished while generating billions in profits.

The Cerrejón coal mine, a major player in the region, has caused environmental damage, displaced families, and disrupted traditional hunting paths. President Petro's Pact for a Fair Energy Transition prioritizes water for human consumption over irrigation or mining, marking a significant shift in Colombian policy.

The Honduras Solidarity Network of North America (HSN) strongly condemns the recent criminal attack on Miriam Miranda, a prominent Afro-indigenous Garifuna leader and Coordinator of the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH). On September 19th, five armed men invaded her home in Vallecito, Colón, shortly after a visit from the Honduran government's Protection Mechanism. This incident, reminds of the 2016 attack on Berta Cáceres, underlines the dangers faced by Garifuna leaders defending indigenous rights and ancestral lands in Honduras.

Miriam has endured multiple threats and attacks in recent years, including death threats in 2022 and a criminal investigation against her for demanding justice for disappeared Garifuna land defenders. The violence against the Garifuna community is driven by economic interests, including tourism, mining, energy, and agro-industrial companies, often with complicity from government entities and criminal groups.

The HSN demands:

1. Immediate end of attacks, threats, criminalization, and violence against Garifuna land defenders, with exhaustive investigations and justice for perpetrators.
2. Enhanced protection for Miriam and OFRANEH to continue their vital work defending Garifuna rights.
3. Implementation of InterAmerican Court (IACHR) rulings from 2015, calling for the restitution of stolen lands and an end to the displacement of Garifuna communities.

Concerns have been raised about the safety of social leaders and indigenous communities in Colombia. The international community is urged to support the 2016 peace accord, specifically the Ethnic Chapter and the Commission for Security Guarantees, and aid the peace dialogue with the National Liberation Army (ELN). The Colombian government needs to enhance support for indigenous and cimarrona guards within ethnic territories. Authorities must bring perpetrators of violence against social leaders to justice, reform the National Protection Unit, and implement efficient, culturally sensitive protection measures. U.S. policymakers are called upon to denounce abuses publicly and demand protection for at-risk individuals and communities. Two critical cases involve threats against investigative journalist Gonzalo Guillén and lawyer Roberto Mauricio Rodríguez of La Nueva Prensa and anti-corruption activist Alexander Chala Saenz, the Political Chief of the Corporation of retired military veterans for Colombia