Thirteen Maya villagers will be standing trial in Belize on March 30th, 2016, under fabricated charges. Like many Indigenous leaders fighting to protect their lands, they are being criminalized for these actions, and may face prison time.

On the early morning of June 24th, 2015, traditional leaders of the Maya people of Southern Belize were violently awoken in their homes by police. Charges were brought against 13 people, including 10 farmers, two traditional Maya leaders, and Q’eqchi community spokesperson Cristina Coc, advisor to the traditional leaders and mother of two.  

Las radios comunitarias indígenas de Guatemala están atravesando por un período coyuntural en cuanto a su legalización con el nuevo cambio de gobierno en el 2016.  La Iniciativa de Ley 4087, la cual solicita la legalizació

Indigenous community radio stations in Guatemala have found themselves in the midst of a hopeful period regarding their legalizations, as the new government entered in January 2016. Bill 4087, Community Media Law, which was brought to the table in Congress after years of lobbying, has achieved significant advances as it passed its first and second readings in Congress.

Update: Donate to Fund for Berta Cáceres

La Red Centroamericana de Radios Comunitarias Indígenas, la cual esta conformada por radio comunitaria indígenas de los siete países de Centroamérica (Belice, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica y Panamá), ha pronunciado su apoyo y respaldo para la iniciativa 4087, la Ley de los Medios Comunitarios, en Guatemala. En una carta poderosa, urgen que el Congreso de la Republica de Guatemala apruebe la ley para cumplir con su compromiso como un Estado Democrático.

February 11, 2016    En espanol

By  Teresita Orozco 

On January 16^th and 17^th, 2016, Narganá, Comarca Guna Yala, Panama became the birthplace of the Central American Network of Indigenous Community Radios, with more than 40 radio directors from all seven countries in Central America as witnesses. Multiplying efforts to democratize communication in the region, this network will build on and strengthen community radio movements in each country.

“We must change the mentality of human beings to create new generations that understand, demand, support, and construct a new reality. Community radio is essential to...the strengthening and development of Indigenous communities and women towards the defense of their human rights" - Ada Villarreal, Universidad Indígena de la Costa Caribe, Nicaragua

Por Teresita Orozco / Promotora Regional

Cultural Survival apoya a la iniciativa 4087, Ley de Medios Comunitarios, la cual esta siendo considerada en el Congreso de la Republica de Guatemala. El voto para la iniciativa podría estar programado para el martes, 9 de febrero, 2016 a lo mas pronto y para ser aprobado, 105 de los 158 miembros del congreso tienen que votar a favor de la ley. La Iniciativa 4087 modificaría la ley existente de telecomunicaciones guatemalteca para permitir acceso a frecuencias radiales para radios comunitarias sin fines de lucro en cada municipio del país.  

Cultural Survival stands in support of Bill 4087, Community Media Law, which is currently being considered in the Guatemalan Congress. A vote on this bill could be scheduled for as soon as Tuesday, February 9, 2016 and in order for it to pass, 105 of the 158 members of congress must vote in its favor.  Bill 4087 would modify the existing Guatemalan telecommunications laws to allow access to non-profit community radio licenses for each municipality in Guatemala.

Riding the tides of Guatemala’s recent political uprising, congressional allies in Guatemala have managed to insert the Community Media Bill 4087 onto the agenda in Congress this week in Guatemala City.