Publication

On 4 October 2012, Guatemalan soldiers allegedly opened fire on Maya protestors from the highland province of Totonicapán, killing six and injuring more than 30. It was a tragedy that appeared to show not only the dangers of using the army to maintain public order but also the rising tensions within impoverished indigenous communities in the country. This report examines what led to the tensions and gives recommendations on how to avoid future confrontations and give indigenous communities a voice and a stake in rural development.