Copyright 2021 NPR. He created and adopted a new constitution that gave more authority to the Guatemalan people, instead of just the elite. Bernardo Caal Xl is a leader of the peaceful resistance of Cahabn, a collective of 38 Maya Q'eqchi' communities in the northern department of Alta Verapaz in northern Guatemala. Until 1944, different dictators continued to rule Guatemala. Official data indicates that poverty affects 75% of Indigenous people and 36% of non-indigenous people; chronic malnutrition affects 58% of Indigenous people and 38% of non-indigenous people; and, in terms of political participation, Indigenous individuals represent no more than 15% of parliamentarians and high-ranking public officials. "Dikos Nitsaag-19" or COVID-19 has threatened the lives of people of color and Indigenous communities at a higher rate. MARTIN: Fifty-four-year-old Jose Santana says he finds it hard to trust anything coming from the Guatemalan government, especially from the president. En espaol. [9], The government formed a State Council to address issues of national importance, including strategies to address COVID-19, to which various sectors of the country (businessmen, religious leaders, civil society) were invited. Indigenous Peoples' strategies for dealing with the pandemic Despite the severe impacts of the pandemic, the Indigenous Peoples have been resilient, mobilising their traditional knowledge and practices for the prevention and treatment of disease in the face of delayed and insufficient government assistance. The Qeqch people use infusions of wild guava leaves (Psidium guajava); the Chort use Quina (Cinchona officinalis), a plant from which quinine, the active component for treating malaria, is extracted. At the time of this study, only one English-language paper (Duffy, 2008) was found on the causes of IPV in Guatemala.Duffy (2008) identifies alcohol consumption, poverty, traditional female gender norms, and a lack of access to education as contributing to . The site is secure. In 1982, Efrain Rios Montt seized power following a military coup, and began his rule as a cruel dictator. A group of Guatemalans saw violence as the only way for change and in 1960, a rebellion confronted the government. The . Thousands of Indigenous activists and small growers demonstrated in Guatemala on Sept. 15 against President Alejandro Giammattei's administration and the country's legacy of colonialism and. The U.S. government also became increasingly concerned, fearing the impact on American investments in the country. We systematically reviewed findings of the frequency of vision impairment and blindness and/or frequency of ocular findings in Indigenous groups. Since the Spanish conquest in 1524, Guatemalas indigenous community has continually fought to maintain and to win back their territory. The prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) and MG antimicrobial resistance (AMR) appear to be high internationally, however, prevalence data remain lacking globally. Guatemala: The Quich Maya indigenous group and whether its situation is comparable to or distinguishable from the other indigenous groups in Guatemala, and whether there are reports of its mistreatment by government agents . Although the Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala recognises the existence of Indigenous Peoples and calls itself a multicultural society, and despite the fact that the country has ratified international agreements on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, in practice, the social, economic and political gap between the Indigenous and non-indigenous population is a wide one. RATZAN PABLO: Hibiscus, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and honey - they bring the fever down - yeah, and eucalyptus. Nearly 70 percent of the population of Guatemala is outside of the formal economy. Indigenous peoples are not important to them. Guatemala has a population of 14.9 million people, of which 6.5 million (43.75%) belong to the 22 Mayan (Achi, Akatec, Awakatec, Chalchitec, Chorti, Chuj, Itza, Ixil, Jacaltec, Kaq- chikel, Kiche, Mam, Mopan, Poqomam, Poqomchi, Qanjobal, Qeqchi, Sakapultec, Sipakapense, Tektitek, Tzutujil and Us- pantek), one Garifuna, one Xinca and one Creole or Afro-descendant peoples. Background Health inequalities disproportionally affect indigenous people in Guatemala. And this is frustrating not to feel the support of people and especially of our leaders. A year ago, as one of his first acts in office, President Alejandro Giammattei slashed the budget of the so-called. treatment of indigenous peoples in guatemala 2021. treatment of indigenous peoples in guatemala 2021. by . [Guatemala suffering 61% multidimensional poverty] El Economista, 26 November 2019. https://www.eleconomista.net/actualidad/Guatemala-afronta-una-pobreza-multidimensional-del-61-20191126-0028.html, [7] Montepeque, Ferdy. USAIDs Indigenous Peoples Engagement Strategy in Guatemala seeks to bridge Indigenous Peoples knowledge systems with national systems by closely coordinating efforts with indigenous entities, integrating their perspectives and priorities into programs. The Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name for the Council's independent investigative and monitoring mechanisms that deal with specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. 26 April 2021 Human Rights. The Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name for the Council's independent investigative and monitoring mechanisms that deal with specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. An official website of the United States government. Indigenous Peoples the challenges they face Indigenous peoples face many challenges. "Sadly, this is not an isolated case; too often in Guatemala those who defend land and the environment are considered criminals.". The economic elite recuperated their influence and further organized to maintain their iron grip on Guatemalan society following the coup. IWGIA's global report, the Indigenous World, provides an update of the current situation for Indigenous Peoples worldwide. Nebaj: derechos de tierras ejidales es restituido al pueblo Ixil. [Nebaj: ejido land rights restored to the Ixil people] Prensa Comunitaria, 4 August 2020. https://www.prensacomunitaria.org/2020/08/nebaj-derecho-de-tierras-ejidales-es-restituido-al-pueblo-ixil/, [21] Tres comunidades vencieron a las municipalidades que intentaban usurpara sus tierras. [Three communities defeated municipalities trying to usurp their land] Nmada, 17 August 2020. https://nomada.gt/identidades/guatemala-rural/3-comunidades-vencieron-a-las-municipalidades-que-intentaban-usurpar-sus-tierras/, [22] Toro, David. This data point has not been updated by the Guatemalan governments National Statistic Institute since. Stand up today to defend someone's rights They arrested many communist leaders and released over 600 political prisoners arrested under Arbenz. DOLORES RATZAN PABLO: (Non-English language spoken). But while the economy has grown during the pandemic, so have levels of poverty. Others try to flee the country to find economic and educational opportunities they simply cant obtain in Guatemala. A newly unsealed federal criminal indictment also describes how MS-13 gang leaders negotiated with El Salvador's top jailer, Osiris Luna Meza, who now oversees Nayib Bukele's new mega-prison. According to figures from the 2018 census, Guatemala has a population of 14.9 million inhabitants, 6.5 million (43.75%) of which self-identify as Indigenous, from the Maya, Garfuna and Xinca Indigenous Peoples, or Creole (Afrodescendants). Despite the severe impacts of the pandemic, the Indigenous Peoples have been resilient, mobilising their traditional knowledge and practices for the prevention and treatment of disease in the face of delayed and insufficient government assistance. Posted in Guatemala. This is because structural racism lies at the root of the inequality and social exclusion, as well as of the violations of the fundamental rights, of Indigenous Peoples. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Several communities have demanded that the state commence a broad discussion to draft a water act, but they have yet to be met. The country still lacks a differentiated statistical base on Indigenous Peoples, especially on Indigenous women, but it is well-known that there are disparities between the Indigenous and the non-indigenous population in employment, income, health, and education. Pueblos indgenas, los ms vulnerables ante el COVID-19. [Indigenous Peoples most vulnerable to COVID-19]. The disregard for Indigenous communities is also seen in poverty rates. The year 2020 began with newly-elected representatives to the Presidency, Congress and local councils, coinciding precisely with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. All countries featured on our website can be found in the Indigenous World - IWGIA's global report on the rights of indigenous peoples. A ruling was expected in 15 days but it has yet to be issued. They don't receive appropriate service in this specific situation, especially now. No Indigenous persons or Afro-Guatemalans hold cabinet-level positions. For general information on the treatment of indigenous people in Guatemala, please consult GTM28707.E of 18 March . Guatemala. 4 out of 5 indigenous Guatemalans live in poverty and have limited access to healthcare, education, and other basic services. In 1944, Juan Jos Arvalo, a critic of Ubico, was named president of Guatemala. Across the Navajo reservation, these emergencies have motivated Din communities to step up and help their people as quickly as possible by distributing care packages to families; providing computers, laptops, free internet access, and food packages; or contributing . 2006. She's been vaccinated and wears a mask, unlike many in Indigenous communities who remain suspicious of Western science. They can face stigma and discrimination. Abelino Zacarias, who filed an injunction against the project, mysteriously disappeared. Thousand Oaks, California. These include: a denial of their right to control their own development based on their own values,. Jeff Abbott is an independent journalist currently based out of Guatemala. Sign-up for our free weekly e-mail newsletter. Read The Indigenous World. These bad conditions have become even worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guatemalas government does not recognize this disadvantage and indigenous people who stand up for their rights, often get threatened or murdered. Guatemala City: On July 23, 2021 the International Indian Treaty Council will participate in the opening event for two offices in Guatemala, hosted by the Mayan Kaqchikel University in Santo Domingo Xenacoj in the department of Sacatepquez. IRMA ALICIA VELASQUEZ NIMANTUJ: This topic is a little complex. 4 out of 5 indigenous people live in poverty, and 21.8% of the indigenous . Corruption is rampant, impunity reigns, quality economic opportunity remains elusive for youths, insecurity permeates all levels of society, and, for many, there is no way out. For the next 30 years, Guatemalas military governed the country, undoing all of Arbenzs reforms. Amidst pervasive racism, wealthy foreigners in Guatemala oversaw land thefts, decades of brutal dictatorships, coup dtats, and a thirty-six-year-long internal armed conflict (1960-1996) which killed 200,000 people, displaced one million, and left 45,000 people missing or disappeared. The structural inequalities that have plagued Guatemalas Indigenous communities have remained. In August 2021, statisticians with the National Statistic Institute denounced what they considered to be attempts to manipulate the data of the price of market goods in establishing the basic cost of living, a key barometer for documenting poverty rates. 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