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Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA Vol 20 No 1 / Jan. 1 – 15, 2008

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Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA Vol 20 No 1 / Jan. 1 – 15, 2008 Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA Vol 20 No 1 / Jan. 1 – 15, 2008 ceremony for the change of office. Guacatel Itiu, a POLITICAL RIGHTS representative of the Elders, gave a speech in which he emphasized that in the Mayan calendar, the day Colom Sworn in as President of Guatemala of the presidential inauguration coincides with 01.14.08 Álvaro Colom Caballeros was sworn in as wisdom, the ‘spirit of intelligence.’ After his the new President of Guatemala on January 14, speech, Itiu swore in Colom and handed over the 2008. Some sectors applauded Colom as the first staff of authority used by the Council of Elders to social democratic leader to lead the country in over identify a leader, which has the names of the twenty- half a century, while others remained skeptical of three Mayan groups inscribed on it. The president classifying Colom as a leftist president. In his announced the creation of an “Indigenous Peoples’ inaugural address, Colom reiterated his campaign Embassy” to promote communication with the other promise to institute a government with a “Mayan indigenous peoples of the Americas. face.” He emphasized that his greatest challenges The new president also met privately with the will be to address the endemic violence that kills on presidents of Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, and average sixteen Guatemalans a day, improve living Mexico, who were all invited to the inauguration conditions for more than half of the population ceremony. living in extreme poverty, and end discrimination against the indigenous populations. Activists Question Colom’s Cabinet After promising to “tirelessly work” for 01.12.08 Some of Álvaro Colom’s appointments to “national unity” and to promote social changes that his Cabinet have generated concerns, doubts, and will benefit the poor majority of Guatemala, he surprise from different sectors of Guatemala’s civil announced that his government would be a “social society. Activists and analysts questioned the democratic government with a social focus.” He political inexperience of some Cabinet members, the added that the social policies of his administration lack of women and indigenous representation, and would be the principal tool to “promote harmony the general lack of public information about the and reconciliation in the country.” Colom voiced majority of the Cabinet’s prior work experience. his support for a justice system that will “triumph Mario Polanco, director of the Mutual Support over the impunity” prevalent in the country and Group (GAM), commented that political stated that he would fight against the “globalized inexperience could lead to corruption and could mafias” and clandestine groups that have infiltrated hinder Colom’s ability to govern. Gabriel Medrano, Guatemala. Colom insisted that his administration’s former president of the Guatemalan Bar Association; programs will be inclusive of women and will work Carmen Aída Ibarra, from the Myrna Mack to eliminate racism against indigenous peoples. Foundation; and Hilda Morales, from the Network After the ceremony ended, representatives from for No Violence Against Women; agreed that all twenty-three Mayan communities, including the Colom’s cabinet choices contrast with his campaign almost extinct Xincas from the Pacific coast, and the promises to establish a Cabinet with a “Mayan face” Garifuna communities greeted the new president. and gender equality. Minister of Education Ana For the first time in the history of modern Ordóñez de Molina was the only woman named to Guatemala, the Mayan Elders carried out a 3321 12th Street NE Washington DC 20017 Tel - 202-529-6599 Fax - 202-526-4611 www.ghrc-usa.org [email protected] the Cabinet, while Minister of Culture and Sports Jerónimo Lancerio was the only indigenous RIGHT TO LIFE AND representation on the Cabinet. HUMANE TREATMENT Members of the Mayan Defense Office also criticized the President’s Cabinet choices as one Berger Reports Decrease in Crime more example of exclusion and marginalization in 01.10.08 Outgoing Guatemalan President Óscar Guatemala. The Mayan Defense Office called on Berger announced that the rate of crime had organizations, coalitions, and indigenous substantially decreased during his last year in office. communities to boycott the presidential inaugural According to Berger, the most recent data shows a celebrations taking place in the municipalities. reduction in the most common crimes committed in Juan Tiney, a leader for the National Indigenous Guatemala, including homicides, femicides, and Campesino Coordinating Committee (CONIC), kidnappings, car thefts, and bank robberies. He also criticized the lack of indigenous representatives acknowledged that while crime levels have in Colom’s Cabinet and commented that Colom won decreased, the rate of violence in Guatemala is still the elections because of the rural, primarily too high and unacceptable. indigenous vote. Tiney added that sixty-eight Berger’s statements starkly contrasted with percent of the Guatemalan population is indigenous figures from several different national and and continues to face sharp discrimination. international sources. While preliminary figures for Another notable appointment was that of the 2007 are still being analyzed, the United Nations Minister of the Interior, Vinicio Gómez. Gómez Population Fund (UNPF) recorded 4,213 homicides replaced Adela Camacho de Torrebiarte, who held in 2007, including the murder of 253 minors. The the position since March 2007 under the Berger Presidential Secretariat on Women (SEPREM) administration. She was the first woman to serve at reported the murder of 536 women, up from their that post and it was rumored that she would remain record of 429 killed in 2006. The National Civil in that position during Colom’s administration. Police (PNC) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office In response to the criticism regarding his (MP) reported more than 17,000 cars stolen in 2007, choices, Colom argued that the lack of women and a one percent increase from 2006. Rates of indigenous in his Cabinet will be “balanced out” by extortion, especially extortion committed by the appointments of different vice ministers, where prisoners and gang members, increased in the last women and indigenous peoples will have more year. representation. In fact, the only figures that supported Berger’s The following is a complete list of Colom’s claim came from the Minister of the Interior, Adela Cabinet: General Marco Tulio García, Minister of Camacho de Torrebiarte, who indicated that the Defense; Vinicio Gómez, Minister of the Interior; homicide rate declined by 1.5% during her short Haroldo Rodas, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Juan time at the helm of the Ministry. Camacho de Alberto Fuentes, Minister of Public Finances; José Torrebiarte’s data, collected from the National Carlos García, Minister of the Economy; Carlos Security Council, was provided as part of the Meany, Minister of Energy and Mining; Ana transition to the new administration. Ordónez, Minister of Education; Eusebio del Cid, Nery Rodenas, director of the Human Rights Minister of Health; Raúl Robles, Minister of Office of the Archdiocese of Guatemala (ODHAG), Agriculture; Luis Alejos, Minister of stated that violence in Guatemala has increased, not Communications; Edgar Rodríguez, Minister of decreased, in the last few years. A fact, he added, Labor; Luis Ferraté, Minister of the Environment; that is supported by several reports from the most and Jerónimo Lancerio, Minister of Culture and affected sectors of society. Rodenas also Sports. commented that high levels of impunity accompany the violence, further undermining the rule of law. Despite these discrepancies, President Berger maintained that crime is on the decline and attributed Jan. 1 – 15, 2008 UPDATE – page 2 Vol 20 No 1 it to the efforts of his administration and security indigenous community of Santa Cruz in Poptún, forces. Petén recently made history as the first group in Guatemala whose historical land rights were officially recognized. The community will be issued CHILDREN’S RIGHTS deeds to the communal land that they previously rented from the municipality. Martín Caal, one of Adoption Council Sworn in and Swamped the leaders from Santa Cruz, said that this move 01.11.08 Amidst controversy over the allows them to be better organized. They will constitutionality of the new Adoption Law, the continue to work for the titles for the rest of the land members of the National Adoption Council (CNA) that traditionally belonged to them, he added. were sworn in and began the task of overseeing all adoptions in Guatemala. The new Adoption Law Indigenous Leaders Take Office in Sololá requires the CNA to provide protection and 01.10.08 José María Julajuj, a Mayan Kaqchikel, supervision for all children and adolescents cleared took office as the Mayor of the Municipality of for adoption. The CNA’s goal is to make the Sololá in a ceremony that took place on January 1, adoption process more transparent. A family judge 2008 in front of five thousand people from nearby will then be able to determine whether or not a child communities. Julajuj will be assisted by two should be eligible for adoption. indigenous men and two indigenous women to The CNA has already received more than 2,000 ensure that both men and women are represented in cases, although they do not yet have an office in his administration. During the ceremony, Julajuj which to work. Members of the Council include promised to work for the benefit of the Mayan Anabella Morfín, appointed by the Ministry
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