The original post was published on JASS here
BY JASS
In Guatemala, when an Indigenous-led, broad-based people’s movement mobilized for 106 days to defend democracy and achieved a peaceful transition of power, we took notice.
We had to—many of the Mayan women leaders and organizations on the front lines have been our allies for decades. They’ve been slowly building the collective power that filled the streets and plazas following Guatemala’s presidential election in August, right up to the historic inauguration of a popular president in January 2024.
As JASS, we knew right away that what they’d done and how they’d done it– unseating an authoritarian ruling elite through a massive nationwide mobilization in defense of democracy – held deep lessons for Guatemalans and for everyone who supports democracy.
So in June along with our partners, the Nobel Women’s Initiative and the Rigoberta Menchú Tum Foundation, we organized the “Women for Peace and Democracy in Guatemala” #WPD2024 delegation, which included JASS Executive Director Shereen Essof, Nobel Peace Prize laureates Jody Williams and Rigoberta Menchú, and feminist peace activists and defenders from Canada, the US, Mexico and Honduras. The delegation met with Guatemalan women – Mayan, Xinca, Garifuna, Afrodescendent and mestizos – land and water defenders, political prisoners, Mayan ancestral authorities, members of Congress and the nation’s president and vice president.
A statement presented by women representatives of 24 civil society organizations summed up the spirit of hope and challenge that we saw firsthand:
In Guatemala, the newly elected progressive government presents a historic opportunity to address the issues faced by women and their impact on our communities… We celebrate our victories and the resilience of countless women who have fought for profound changes. As opportunities arise, we also prepare ourselves to confront challenges and ensure that our voices are heard.
Guatemala’s old regime is fighting with a vengeance to hold on to its privilege and control. JASS and our partners are supporting women and their organizations in this phase of building a new country, with full rights for women, Indigenous peoples, youth and all sectors of society, especially those that have most suffered under colonial and neocolonial rule.
