The Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project has posted on social media:
“On Sunday [October 4], #PBI accompanied the Peaceful Resistance of the Poqomam People of #Chinautla during the elections to select the principal and alternate departmental representatives to the departmental development councils.”
The Government of Guatemala also notes: “The election of the Maya Poqomam people was held in the Central Park of the Central Canton, in the municipality of Santa Cruz Chinautla, with the active participation of various community organizational structures. The process was coordinated and accompanied by the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office (PDH), the Presidential Commission against Corruption (COPRECON), Peace Brigades International (PBI) and the Ministry of the Interior (MINGOB).”
CRN Noticias explains: “The process to elect the full and alternate representatives of the Maya, Xinka and Garifuna peoples to the Departmental Development Councils (CODEDE) began in Guatemala and will continue until October 10, 2026.”
That article further notes that the functions of Departmental Development Councils “include promoting the participation of the population in the development of the department, formulating policies, plans and projects, knowing the departmental public investment and coordinating actions between different institutions and sectors” and that “representatives of the Maya, Xinka and Garifuna peoples participate in these spaces to convey the needs, proposals and priorities of the communities they represent”.
The Poqomam are an indigenous Maya people. They speak Poqomam, a Mayan language closely related to Poqomchiʼ. Chinautla is situated about 11 kilometres north of Guatemala City in the Department of Guatemala.
Accompaniment
PBI-Guatemala has previously explained on their website: “Since 1989, the Peaceful Resistance of the Poqomán People in Chinautla have been defending their right to be consulted on the activities of various clay extraction companies operating in their territory (Arenera La Primavera, Arenera El Pino, Piedrinera San Luis and San Fernando Arenera). They are also defending their territory against the pollution caused by other businesses operating in the region. Another problem faced by Poqomam communities is the pollution of the Las Vacas river that passes through Chinautla which flows directly out of the landfill in zone 3 of the capital city.”
PBI received a request for accompaniment from the Peaceful Resistance of the Poqomán People in Chinautla, as they have been subject to attacks and criminalization. PBI began accompanying them in December 2018.
PBI-Canada visited Chinautla in May 2023.
