José Bo Mo
Guatemala
GUATEMALA
In November 2018, indigenous land and environmental defender Bernardo Caal Xol was sentenced to seven years four months in prison for the crimes of illegal detention and aggravated robbery. This, despite evidence provided by his lawyers throughout the judicial process that Caal Xol was not in the location of the crime at the time it was committed.
PBI has accompanied Bernardo and the Peaceful Resistance of Cahabon since 2017.
Owen Campbell
A PBI volunteer must be open to changes because we are on call and sometimes there can be emergency situations that make us reshuffle the schedule and then shuffle it again.
Owen Campbell
Guatemala, 2007-2008
Jean-Jacques Ambresin
One thing that stood out for me was the immense need for support from indigenous people in the face of the oligarchic system that rules developing countries. I was also impressed by the courage of the communities who try to assert their rights through the legal means available, despite the contempt of the ruling class
Jean-Jacques Ambresin
Guatemala, 2008-2009
Emily Spence
Up against all these political and structural problems, it’s hard not to question the value of the work we do. But just as you’re losing sight of this, you hear someone we accompany say that since PBI’s been coming to their community, the level of conflict has reduced and they don’t experience the threats that they used to, or that because of PBI they know they’re not alone and feel motivated to keep fighting.
Emily Spence
Guatemala, 2018-2019
Karen Beetleon
As I reflect on this work thirty years later, I am deeply appreciative of the integrity, commitment and clarity of my PBI colleagues. I am grateful to have collaborated in such a meaningful way to live out our values and to support those whose lives were so unfairly shaped by political violence and repression. I’m also grateful that so many hands have continued to carry out this work and PBI is thriving today
Karen Beetleon
Guatemala, 1985
GUATEMALA
Former general and de facto President of Guatemala from 1982-1983, Jose Efrain Rios Montt was convicted in January 2013 of genocide and crimes against humanity, and sentenced to 80 years in prison. While his conviction was overturned in 2013 by the Constitutional Court of Guatemala, a retrail took place in 2015 after a Guatemalan court ruled he could stand trail.