No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveLand Dispute Leaves 9 Dead in Guatemala

Land Dispute Leaves 9 Dead in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY – At least nine campesinos died, eight others were injured and three were reported missing in a clash with guards at a ranch in northern Guatemala that the campesinos tried to occupy, police said Sunday.

A National Civilian Police spokesman in the city of Coban said the fatal conflict occurred July 8 at the Moca ranch in Senahu, a community located about 260 kilometers north of Guatemala City.

Of those killed, five were women, according to police.

Campesino leader Mateo Yat told reporters that security guards at the ranch opened fire when a group of some 230 families tried to occupy the property peacefully.

The ranch, Yat said, “historically has been the property of our great-grandfathers, grandfathers, fathers and now ours.”

He claims that the campesinos had been stripped of their rights by people claiming to be the true property owners.

Last weekend’s clash marks the third time that the campesinos had been evicted from the ranch.

According to local radio reports, security guards opened fire on the campesinos with automatic rifles and pistols.

Yat claims the missing people were thrown into a nearby river by the guards.

Landless campesinos have occupied about 20 private ranches and 10 state-owned properties in Guatemala.

The Central American nation is plagued by unequal distribution of land; official figures show 80% of arable ranch land is in the hands of 2% of the population.

In April, 14 people were injured and 30 others arrested during scattered protests across Guatemala by thousands of campesinos demanding land reform.

Last month, armed squatters wounded an army officer and a police officer, and took seven park rangers and another police officer hostage in northern Guatemala. The eight men were captured by the group of 40 squatters in the Sierra de Lacandon mountains, in province of Peten, bordering Mexico and Belize.

The squatters wanted to pressure authorities into giving them legal title to the lands they were occupying, officials said.

 

Trending Now

2025 Gold Cup: Honduras Advances After Dramatic Shootout, Mexico Ends Goal Drought

Honduras, with a surprising and dramatic penalty shootout victory over Panama, and Mexico, with a lackluster win against Saudi Arabia, advanced Saturday to the...

A Costa Rica Love Story: From Rustic Cabina to Separate Dreams

My Tica wife and I have been together for over a quarter century. When we met, I was living a simple life here. Three...

Costa Rica and Panama Seek Gold Cup Glory Against North American Giants

With no Caribbean teams advancing, a Central American contingent made up of Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Guatemala heads into the quarterfinals of the...

Costa Rica Identified as Key Maritime Route for Cocaine Trafficking

Costa Rica appears among the main maritime and aerial routes for cocaine trafficking between South and North America, according to the World Drug Report 2025 published...

Costa Rica’s Top Court Bans President Chaves from 2026 Election Campaign

Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal on Thursday barred President Rodrigo Chaves from participating in the 2026 election campaign, ruling that he "illegitimately used" his...

An Expat’s Take: 5 Burning Questions About Life in Costa Rica Right Now

Have you been keeping up with the various events taking place in Costa Rica? There is always something interesting going down, and here are...
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