Guatemala Election Watch #18 →

"We are the seeds inherited from our ancestors"

For the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, and in light of the upcoming elections in Guatemala, Rosa Elvira Cuc speaks on behalf of the 13 plaintiffs in the lawsuits in Canada against the mining company Hudbay Minerals.

Video Aj Ral Ch'och
#PeriodismoComunitarioMaya #DesdeLosTerritorios

English translation

My name is Rosa Elvira Cuc Ich. I am an Indigenous Maya Q'eqchi' woman, from the municipality of El Estor, Lake Izabal. I am also a plaintiff against the Canadian mining company Hudbay Minerals.

I want to send a message to all the native Indigenous peoples of the territories.

We know that The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples has just passed. That date for me should be a day of reflection. If we realize that we, the Indigenous peoples, are the most discriminated against, excluded, dispossessed of our lands, plundered, robbed of our natural resources.

And we are the best guardians of the riches that we have in our territories. So I ask myself, what is being commemorated if we continue to suffer violence, torture, violence against our rights, by landowners, mining companies, palm companies, monocultures, and others.

It is sad to see our reality. It hurts me to see all these injustices. 

As a woman I know that I have the right to raise my voice to demand justice. But unfortunately sometimes that is why they kill us, to silence us. 

But I invite you to resist, to defend our own and to leave good examples for the new generation in the future.

And let us remember, Guatemalans, that the elections for president are approaching. I call upon you. Let us reflect to cast our votes. Let us defend the democracy of our country. 

Let us remember that we are the seeds inherited from our ancestors.

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.

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.

More information

Movimiento Semilla party
www.moviemientosemilla.gt