Carlos Guárquez

Carlos Guárquez, General Co-ordinator of the Guatemalan Association of Indigenous Mayors and Authorities (AGAAI), and adviser to the indigenous municipality of Sololá since January of 2005.

Currently: After a break-in in the office of AGAAI on 20th March we have visited his office with regularity, providing accompaniment.

Background: Mr. Guarquez has suffered from various forms of threats, accusations, and intimidations because of his work against the Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) and mining. On 25th March 2005, in the village of El Tablón, Sololá, the vehicle used by Carlos Humberto Guarquez, of AGAAI and FUNDAMAYA, was doused in petrol and set on fire by unknown individuals. Death threats specifically naming Carlos Guarquez, the then Indigenous Mayoress of Sololá, Dominga Vásquez, and her husband, Alfonso Guarquez, were found scattered around the vehicle. Part of the threat stated: "For your stupid meddling in society, tomorrow will be the day of your disappearance from this world." As a result of this threat we decided to activate our Support Network within Guatemala. More recently on 20th March, the office of AGAAI was violently broken into by persons unknown who took important documentation and containers. The association denounced this grave incident as a clear act of intimidation against workers and members of AGAAI for their work in supporting and accompanying the Alcaldes and indigenous authorities that struggle for the protection of the land. They have reported the act to the office of the Human Rights Ombudsman (PDH).