The participants ratified their conviction that consolidated in the recent years: mining, oil and hydroelectric concessions, explorations and exploitations, as well as monoculture plantations are government policies that violate the indigenous peoples’ rights and displace communities.

The declaration of the Waqib’ Kej Mayan Coordination and Convergence says that social organizations of Guatemala should unify their proposals and join efforts to “stop the voracity of the government and businesspeople in looting Mother Nature and Territory”.

The previous administrations have opted to privilege transnational extractive industries that currently control forests and water streams that go through indigenous territories.

“Metal, oil, hydroelectric construction and the expansion of monoculture plantations to produce biofuels are all polluting practices”, reads the document.

One of the speakers at the main event was Daniel Pascual, general coordinator of the Committee of Peasant Unit (CUC). He made a brief summary of the historical process that this Central American people had to go through: “First, 518 years ago they conquered us with sword and cross in hand, in 1871 they installed the capitalist model to cultivate sugar cane, coffee and cotton. Today transnational corporations play that domination role”.

Despite constant condemnation, Pascual sent a message of hope: “they have always wanted to subject us, and there has not been one generation that did not suffer theses problems. But there was struggle and resistance, and we have survived”.