"What is the fear of the corrupt? The people are in charge”
Angelica Choc speaks
23 days to August 20th run-off vote
Angélica Choc, Maya Q'eqchi' land and community defender from El Estor, Izabal, calls for the defense of democracy in Guatemala.
Angelica, whose husband Adolfo Ich was killed by a mining company security guard in 2009, is one of 13 Q’eqchi’ plaintiffs in the on-going landmark Hudbay Minerals lawsuits in Canada. She spoke with #PeriodismoComunitarioMaya about illegal efforts of “the corrupt” in Guatemala to undermine the electoral process.
“What is the fear of the corrupt? The people are in charge”
(Transcribed and translated to English)
I am Angelica Choc, defender of the territories here in the municipality of El Estor.
Well, at this moment I am speaking about what we are seeing at the national level, which is very worrisome for us as Q'eqchi' peoples, and for us as citizens who are going to the polls to cast our vote.
I feel that what we are seeing right now is an offense against our rights as peoples.
The people are the ones in charge, it is not a small group of corrupt people who are blocking what we are seeing now in the capital, it is just a small group.
But we the people are here to defend our democracy and our rights.
If we don't stand up, no one will do it for us. It is important to stand up and take to the streets. I invite you to stand up.
If we don't speak out, who will speak for us? If the little group of corrupt people are there, then we are more.
And it means that I also, as a woman, have a voice to defend my rights and for that reason I make this invitation or call, to each and every citizen. Let's raise our voices.
Enough of what is going on. Enough of the raids against the Semilla political party.
What is the fear of the corrupt? What is the fear?
We are happy, all our brothers and sisters, to see each other, and go to vote; we are going to go on August 20 and we want to see who is the winner.
The people are in charge.
Thank you.
Get involved/ Act
It is impossible to keep up with the breadth of attacks being carried out, daily, by the Covenant of the Corrupt, and their allies, on the electoral process and against the Semilla Party.
The US and Canadian governments, our companies and investors, have a significant measure of responsibility for what is occurring in Guatemala, given the past 69 years of full economic, political and military relations with corrupt, repressive regimes.
Electoral coup d’etat in Guatemala
A democracy and rule of law challenge for United States and Canada
By Grahame Russell, July 24, 2023
https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/electoral-coup-detat-in-guatemala
Rights Action calls for Americans and Canadians to share this information widely (including media outlets), and to contact your Senators, Members of Congress and Parliamentarian.
Urge them to make public statements and bring all pressures to bear on the Guatemalan authorities to ensure that the electoral process proceeds transparently and peacefully to the August 20 run-off vote, and that the Semilla Party is allowed to participate fully with no further attacks of any kind.
U.S. Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact
U.S. House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Canadian Parliament: https://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members
More information
Rights Action’s “Guatemala Election Watch” alerts (www.rightsaction.org/emails)
Twitter feeds of Festivales Solidarios (@festivalesgt) & Prensa Comunitaria (@PrensaCommunitar)
Prensa Comunitaria’s daily news (https://prensacomunitaria.org/)
Movimiento Semilla party
www.moviemientosemilla.gt
Facebook: MovimientoSemilla
Twitter: @semillagt
