In 2018, Nicaragua’s citizens rose up against the repressive, authoritarian government of President Daniel Ortega, who has been in power since 2007. The largely student-led demonstrations were met with heavy force from the police and paramilitary groups, leaving hundreds dead and imprisoned, and thousands wounded. In the thick of this violence and mayhem was Gabriela …
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A record number of activists are being killed in Latin America – and old methods of security aren’t working. How do we protect activists facing threats from shadowy actors and complicit governments?
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I recently met with Maria Auxiliadora Gualim López, the founder and general coordinator of AJWS grantee Nuevo Horizonte (New Horizons) in Chisec in the Guatemalan department of Alta Vera Paz.
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Peten is Guatemala’s Wild West. Throughout its history, this department—similar to a state—was known for its large fincas (plantations) and populated by landless laborers and small farmers, including indigenous people. Many migrants were often encouraged to move to Peten by the government. Despite its bucolic appearance, Peten has been roiled by several volatile conflicts: the drug trade, the battle over the damming of the region’s rivers, and the country’s long civil war.
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