What’s Happening in Guatemala?
November, 2023
Guatemala is in the midst of a political crisis, as Indigenous leaders and citizen movements try to protect the outcomes of the elections this summer.
- On November 2, Guatemala’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal suspended the Seed Movement (Movimiento Semilla), the President-elect’s political party. For the last month or so, the organization of 48 Cantones of Totonicapán has organized peaceful protests in defense of democracy, demanding the respect of the people’s will based on past elections, and demanding the exit of the State’s Attorney General and others of the judicial body who represent the coup efforts to prevent President-elect Bernardo Arévalo of the Seed Movement from taking office in January 2024, even though they won the election with 58% of the votes.
- Indigenous groups have led an extended mobilization of various sectors of society through peaceful resistance. According to Líderesa Alida Vicente, they have demonstrated that they can show strength, raise their voice, and demand for people’s rights.
- For the first time in the country’s history, the Indigenous community model has become the most important organizing nucleus of the citizens’ resistance, giving this political crisis a specific national identity.
We at HIP support the movement’s demands that the people’s wishes be heard, respect for community resistance representing a broad citizenry, allowing people to continue to protest peacefully without repression, and the protection of Indigenous leaders and other movements at the forefront.
We suggest looking into the following resources from HIP partners and other organizations and following their work for any updates.