PBI-Guatemala accompanies women’s group from Chinautla supporting Poqomam leader Armando Vazquez

Published by Brent Patterson on April 26, 2024

On April 23, PBI-Guatemala posted: “PBI accompanies this morning to the women’s group from Chinautla, which accompanies the family of the defender Armando Vazquez whose son was killed last Thursday and while the other son survived the attack and is injured in the hospital. To local and national authorities, we express our concern for the security situation of the family and other members of the Chinautla Multisectoral. The Multisectoral defends its territory against the uncontrolled exploitation of sand that damages its homes, the environment and the health of the municipality’s population.”

Two days later, on April 25, PBI-Guatemala posted on Facebook: “We share our ALERT about the murder of Denilson Alberto Vázquez Chacón and attempted murder of Lester Moisés Armando Vázquez Chacón [on Thursday April 18], children of a defender and indigenous authority of the Multisectoral Chinautla. Find it here.”

PBI-Guatemala is calling on the international community to:

-pay special attention to the situation in Chinautla and, in particular, to the safety of the members of Multisector Chinautla.

-organize a visit to Chinautla to express their solidarity with the Vázquez Pascual family and publicly share their concern over and raise awareness of the risk in which the members of the Multisector Chinautla are facing.

-in their political dialogue with the Government of Guatemala, request that the State grant protection measures to the Vázquez Pascual family and the members of Multisector Chinautla and that the provision of these measures be coordinated with the beneficiaries and;

-request the prompt and effective investigation and criminal prosecution of those responsible for the events.”

Their ALERT can be read here.

The PBI-Guatemala Project has been accompanying the Chinautla Multisector Urban Platform since December 2018.