After eight months in prison, local courts in Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango, Guatemala have declared innocent the final eight men that were arrested following protests on May 4th in the town of Santa Cruz Barillas against a proposed hydroelectric dam, along with three others already freed.
This is a major victory for the Q’anjob’al Mayan community who has suffered violence, threats, and criminalization due to their opposition to the Spanish company Hydro Santa Cruz.
The Assembly of Peoples of Huehuetenango for the Defense of the Territory and the Western Peoples’ Council issued the following statement today:
“The truth has arrived, better late than never: after a titanic, shared struggle by the heroic people of Barillas, social organizations, and most of all thanks to the dignity and bravery of the families of the prisoners, who did not let themselves be intimidated nor bought, under the heavy pressure and coercion by the company they remained strong.
The fight goes on: peaceful mobilizations in Barillas continue and will be strengthened. Our imperative is to achieve respect for the decision of the community and the right be consulted on the use of their natural resources.”
