Guatemala City, Guatemala.
May 12, 2013.
Roughly around 100 supporters of the armed forces gathered Sunday morning at 10 AM to protest outside Matamoros Barracks where former general and ex de facto head of state Efrain Rios Montt is held imprisoned. Rios Montt was recently convicted for genocide and crimes against humanity during Guatemala’s civil war.
Guatemala City, Guatemala.
May 10, 2013.
For the first time in world history, a former head of state was not only tried for genocide and crimes against humanity in a national court, but found guilty of these charges. Former Guatemalan de facto head of state Jose Efrain Rios Montt, who ruled Guatemala from March 1982 to August 1983, was sentenced to 80 years of jail. Judge Jazmin Barrios declared that military scorched earth campaigns during that period systematically and repeatedly massacred the Ixil Mayan people and indiscriminate patterns of violence were shown. She concluded that Ríos Montt had both command authority and “full knowledge of what was happening and did nothing to stop it.” (more…)
Guatemala City, Guatemala.
May 9, 2013.
On the 26th day of the historic Genocide trial against former de facto head of state Efrain Rios Montt and his Head of Intelligence Jose Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez, the prosecution and defense gave their closing statements and the main accused, Rios Montt, finally declared. (more…)
San Rafael Las Flores, Santa Rosa, and Mataquescuintla, Jalapa, Guatemala.
May 2, 2013.
Images from the first day of the declared State of Siege in the municipalities of Casillas & San Rafael Las Flores, Santa Rosa, and Mataquescuintla & Jalapa, Jalapa. A violent mining conflict in the region involving Vancouver-based Tahoe Resources has erupted this week resulting in a State of Siege where numerous constitutional rights are suspended for 30 days. The conflict erupted on Saturday April 27th, when the mine’s security personnel shot six protesters who were on their way to participate in a peaceful protest camp outside the mine. Despite the violence and community consultations that have taken place in the past few months where nearly all the population has voted against the mining project, the official accord was signed by president Otto Perez Molina on Monday, April 29th. On Tuesday, April 30th, during a confusing incident, local residents held hostage 23 National Police Officers. During an ensuing scuffle, one officer was shot dead and four patrol cars burned. Today, the government officially declared a State of Siege and placed arrest orders against numerous residents, including local leaders who have been active in peaceful and legal resistances against the mining project. (more…)
Guatemala City, Guatemala.
April 19, 2013.
Despite the trial’s suspension ordered by High Risk Court Judge Carol Flores on the previous day, Judge Jazmin Barrios reconvened the trial on the 21st day to decide on a course of action. Judge Barrios ruled that Judge Flores’ annulment is illegal and will be asking the Constitutional Court, Guatemala’s highest judicial body, to rule on the fate of the genocide trial. Afterwards, a protest march walked from the Supreme Court of Justice to the Constitutional Court.
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Guatemala City, Guatemala.
April 18, 2013.
Events took a wild turn on the twentieth day of the genocide trial against former de facto dictator Efraín Ríos Montt and former Intelligence Director José Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez. First, the defense lawyers abruptly walked out in protest to Judge Jazmin Barrios’ denial for a postponement. Afterwards, during a special afternoon session, Judge Carol Flores, presiding a high risk courtroom, declared invalid all testimonies until now – basically nullifying the historic case. Following are images from the courtroom today.
Zone 1, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
April 3, 2013.
While the genocide trial goes on a few blocks from the central park, a battle between street vendors and Mayor Alvaro Arzu’s Metropolitan Police (PMT) took place for most of the afternoon in the capital’s center. Mayor Arzu’s gentrification project has been highly criticized as numerous street vendors who have had stalls along 8th street in the city center are being forcibly pushed out. Some have been moved to the Amate and Railroad markets. Nevertheless, the vendors claim there is not enough room for everyone in these off-site markets, and that the project is highly exclusive of those who already struggle to make a living to survive.
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Guatemala City, Guatemala
March 19, 2013.
Images from the first day of the historic trial against former de facto dictator Efraín Ríos Montt and former Intelligence Director José Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez. Ríos Montt and Rodriguez Sanchez are charged with Genocide and crimes against humanity during the civil war in Guatemala (1960-1996) against the Ixil Mayan people.
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COMUNICADO URGENTE de la Asamblea de Pueblos de Huehuetenango por la Defensa del Territorio:
compañeras y compañeros
Con mucha preocupacion queremos manifestar el noticia lamentable que el dia hoy 15 de marzo a las 7:30 de la mañana fue capturado el compañero Ruben Herrera, miembro de la coordinacion de ADH, cuando estaba saliendo de su casa. El compañero Ruben Herrera lo vinculan con el caso de Barillas junto con 22 personas que aun tienen orden de captura.
Es inconcebible la persecusion legal contra los lideres y lideresas cuando el juzgado ya declaro inocentes y en librertad a los 11 presos politicos detenidos durante 8 meses por los mismos casos.
Hacemos un llamado a las organizaciones sociales nacionales e internacionales su solidaridad para frenar esta sistematica violacion a nuestros derechos fundamentales y denunciar el papel delincuencial y hostil de la empresa Hidrosantacruz, causante de esta tragedia que inicio hace 3 años.
Manifestamos nuestro profundo apoyo y solidaridad con la familia del compañero Ruben Herrera y exigimos su liberacion lo mas pronto posible.
NUESTRAS LUCHAS SON LEGITIMAS Y DEMOCRATICAS, NO SOMOS DELINCUENTES
LIBERTAD A NUESTROS PRESOS POLITICOS
“TODAS Y TODOS SOMOS BARILLAS”
Huehuetenango, viernes 15 de marzo de 2013
The Basque Solidarity Organization EntreAmigos-Lagun Artean presents a MiMundo.org photo exhibit:
2012 New Mayan Era: Vindications and Struggles of a People
The exhibit is being held continuously in Getxo (Bilbao region) of Basque Country (Spanish State).
Dec. 9, 2012: Feria Getxotik Mundura, Plaza del Metro Las Arenas.
Dec. 10, 2012 – Jan. 7, 2013: Polideportivo Gobela
Jan. 8 – Jan. 28, 2013: IES Alxerrota
Feb. 15 – Mar. 4, 2013: Biblioteca Villamonte
For more information, visit the Lagun Artean exhibit page (in Spanish)
Zaculeu. Huehuetenango, Guatemala.
December 20-21, 2012.
Events in the Guatemalan northern city of Huehuetenango during the much-awaited end of the Mayan Oxlajuj Baktun provide a clear reflection of the divisions and challenges faced by Mayan communities today. The media exploited erroneous apocalyptic rumors, the government and business sectors viewed it as an opportunity to gain economically through tourism, and progressive groups seized the opportunity “to strengthen ancestral wisdom and never-ending search for balance” while vindicating what seem never-ending struggles for justice, inclusion, and self-determination. (1)
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The Projet Accompagnement Québec-Guatemala (PAQG) and Breaking the Silence (BTS) present a MiMundo.org photo exhibit:
Mines to the South, Gas to the North: Same Dispossession?
The Prissy Pig Café & Deli
20 St. Andrews Street. Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
From October 5th to October 30th.
For all exhibit dates and venues visit the PAQG page
James Rodriguez: Independent documentary photographer and photojournalist.
Available For: Long or short-term assignments in the Americas or abroad. Spot News, Editorial, NGO/NPO project documentation, Travel Photography, Events, Sports/Action.
For Stock photography, please view Photo Galleries.
Primary Focus: Exposing and documenting social justice issues, particularly those involving land tenure, human rights abuses, post-war processes, negative effects of globalization.
