On March 27, 2015, Mariano Caal Coc was arrested despite committing no crime. The 22 year old’s only “crime” was being an indigenous peasant. Caal is from the community Nimla Sa’chal near Coban, Alta Verapaz. Wealthy “land owner” Saul Girón Zúñiga has been trying to consolidate his wealth by stealing land from the community, and he has the support of the corrupt public attorney’s office. Just like many of our partner communities, community members of Nimla Sa’chal live with the permanent terror of being arrested at any moment – while going to sell or buy food at the market, going to visit family, or like Mariano, going to work.   Fortunately our allies were able to immediately mobilize legal action in order to push for Mariano’s release. This would not have happened without the support of approximately $250 from the GSP. Mariano was released March 31.   We thank our donors for making this possible. We are in desperate need for donations to support an emergency fund for cases like this. We have seen that immediate legal action can be effective in winning quick release for political prisoners. When this doesn’t happen, innocent community leaders can pass years in prison while the government adds additional fraudulent charges.

Oxib' E (Mayan Calendar Year, February 21, 2015 - February 20, 2016) was a historic year in Guatemala as our partners played a lead role in winning victories that have not been achieved in the United States or most of the world.  Sustained protests and courageous prosecutors brought a President to prison; former slaved forced into sexual servitude faced down their violators and successfully achieved a landmark conviction; indigenous communities united to block roads and precent the government from burning down villages; and local, national and international pressure combined to win freedom for political prisoners.  Click here to read the entire report