Urgent Action Needed: Support Free Speech Rights in Guatemala; Legalize Community Radio
On August 3, 2009, Representative Marvin Orellana Lopez introduced a bill titled Law Governing Community Media into a plenary session of the Guatemalan Congress. The bill would de-criminalize the community radio stations currently operating in Guatemala. Over 200 community radio stations in the country are currently vulnerable to extra-legal raids by local police departments, in which their equipment can be confiscated and their members imprisoned. The bill closely mirrors earlier proposals developed by regional associations of community radio stations, including ARCG, AMECOS, and Muj ab'yol.
1,000 community radio volunteers from all over Guatemala and their supporters travelled to Guatemala City by bus and by truck for the occasion of the bill's introduction into Congress. Several radio stations aired live broadcasts of the demonstration, and the street outside the Congress was packed by community radio volunteers interviewing one another and holding signs and banners. Some of these signs stated the names of community radio stations and the municipalities in which they are located. Others trumpeted slogans such as "Community radio is by the people and for the people" and "Guatemalans have the right to free speech."
Following a half hour of energetic sloganeering in front of Congress, the demonstrators accompanied the leaders of the regional radio associations on a one-block walk to another entrance to the Congressional building. There, the heads of the regional radio associations entered Congress to support Representative Orellana Lopez as he formally introduced the bill into the congressional record. These proceedings were broadcasted live to the crowd still gathered outside by means of a set of large speakers mounted on a truck that was parked in the middle of the street.
Representative Orellana Lopez and the heads of the regional radio associations exited Congress at about 10:30 AM and were greeted by flashbulbs and microphones. They answered a few questions and then led a march to the presidential palace of Álvaro Colom. There, Representative Orellana Lopez and the leaders of the regional radio associations delivered speeches asking the President to lend his support to their bill and led the crowd in a few cheers. The event ended shortly after noon.
-Mariel Gruszko
Urgent Action Needed: Support Free Speech Rights in Guatemala; Legalize Community Radio
Listen to a Broadcast on the Introduction of the Bill (in Spanish)
