The town of Barillas welcomed home the final eight community leaders who were arrested for being outspoken against the hydroelectric dam project by Hydro Santa Cruz after being declared innocent on January 9th. A total of 12 men were held for up to 8 months in prison in Guatemala CIty under false charges.
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Community members, grassroots organizations, and local press packed into the town plaza of Barillas, Huehuetenango.
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Called "heroes in the fight for mother nature", the men address the community.
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Pablo Antonio Pablo survived an attack by private security guards of Hydro Santa Cruz on the night of May 1st, when fellow leader Andres Fransisco Miguel was shot and killed, sparking riots in the community and leading to the arrests of 12 men.
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The wife and family of one of the imprisioned men look on during the ceremony.
