No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveGuatemalan Mayas Unite for Change

Guatemalan Mayas Unite for Change

GUATEMALA (AFP) – Approximately 300 Guatemalan indigenous leaders on Monday organized the first National Assembly of Representatives of the Maya, which seeks unity to combat the discrimination aboriginal ethnic groups face in that country.

“In essence, the Assembly is a space to call for unity and combat discrimination and racism. We are doing this because we are not included in the government’s policies, because the State is fascist and excludes us,” said Juana Batzibal, leader of the Maya Consultation Commission.

HOWEVER, more than words are needed to eliminate discrimination, she said. It must be done “through policies, and if policies are going to be multi-cultural, obviously, the attitudes of government officials have to start changing.”

Batzibal recognized the first challenge is “to get the policies that are created as a result of the creation of the Assembly approved by the Guatemalan Congress. For this to happen, it’s fundamental the  government give it political recognition.”

ACCORDING to Batzibal, if the Guatemalan government has the political will, it could immediately recognize the Assembly. This would be possible under Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO), which guarantees respect for the culture, religion, social and economic forms of organization and identity of indigenous peoples. Guatemala ratified Convention 169 on June 6, 1996.

Four delegates from each of the 22 Maya peoples that inhabit Guatemala will be part of the Assembly.

The members of the Assembly will meet on a bimonthly basis. They also plan to create a consultation group that will meet more often.

The Xincas and the Garífunas, minority indigenous groups that are not Maya, will participate as observers without the right to vote.

 

Trending Now

Costa Rica Faces Scrutiny After Murder of Exiled Nicaraguan Officer

The Costa Rican government is facing growing criticism after the murder of exiled Nicaraguan military officer Roberto Samcam, who was shot to death in...

Costa Rica Moves Forward with Crypto Regulation to Combat Financial Crime

Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly has advanced a landmark bill targeting the regulation of virtual asset service providers (VASPs), aiming to bolster the nation’s defenses...

Costa Rica Introduces New ₡500 Coin: Old One No Longer Valid

Visitors to Costa Rica this month should be aware of an important change to the country’s currency. As of Tuesday, July 1, the old...

Costa Rica Leads AI Adoption in Small Businesses Across Latin America

Costa Rica is standing out as a regional leader in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). About 50% of...

Costa Rica Stars in Variety’s Top Ten Film Locations

Variety Magazine named our small piece of paradise a top filming destination in its latest featured article, “Ten Locations to Die For,” spotlighting our...

Viva Aerobus Connects Monterrey to San José, Costa Rica with New Route

Mexican airline Viva Aerobus is launching a new international route linking Monterrey, Nuevo León, with San José, Costa Rica, starting October 30, 2025. This...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica