A lot of rejoicing in Guatemala and around the world earlier this month when a Guatemalan judge ruled that Guatemala's de facto head of state during the early 1980s, when the Guatemalan government was prosecuting a brutal antiguerilla war, was guilty of genocide against a Mayan group and of crimes against humanity. General Rios Montt (pictured above) was sentenced to 80 years in prison. The intelligence chief in his government was acquitted.
At the same time, the current government - headed by a former antiguerilla commander from that war - cited drug-running and gangs as the reason to declare martial law - allowing the government to legally hold people without charging them with anything - in first, one, and, then, another department (the Guatemalan equivalent of state or province) (but not yet Izabal) - but then went after people organizing against land seizures for projects like mines and palm oil plantations.
Apparently some groups in El Estor are doing some similar organizing, and it remains to be seen what will come to there, where the nickel mine company - among others - have also embarked on this type of land seizure.
-Perry
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