And the sound of many, many fireworks
| Thank You + A Call for Moderators First, a big thank you to everyone for your support of this project! The response has been incredible—over 200 people have already signed up for the newsletter. Many of you have also asked about connecting with others in your area, which is awesome!To help make that happen, I’m putting out a call for moderators: people who are willing to help coordinate local groups for PLQ alumni. These groups could take many forms—a Signal chat, Discord server, email list, or whatever makes the most sense locally. If you’re interested in helping organize a regional group, please reach out! Update from Guatemala: Reflections on Independence In Xela, preparations are underway for the Feria Centroamericana de la Independencia, which commemorates the day—September 15th, 1821—when Guatemala (or more accurately, the Central American Federation) declared independence from Spain. Today, Guatemalan flags are seen unfurling across Parque Central, school marching bands wind through the streets and stages are being erected to accommodate the city-wide spectacle. Xela hosts the largest of these independence-day fairs in Guatemala and people from all over the country come to participate. Yet, as the town builds up for this national celebration, there is at the same a nagging contradiction regarding “independence” here in Guatemala. While the date marks a formal break from Spanish colonialism and the supposed beginning of an era of self-determination, there was in fact little structural change after the declaration of Independence was signed. After taking power, the criollo elite—white descendants of Europeans—only reproduced the colonial class structures with a more nationalist flavor. Leadership transferred from a foreign monarch to a small class of land-owning Guatemalans. To this day, these are the same families that dominate the country’s political and economic landscape. The Enlightenment ideas of liberty of equality that animated these so-called revolutionaries did not extend to the majority of the population; rather, indigenous people were subjugated to increasing surveillance and control by the new nation-state, which seized their collective land and imposed forced labor on their communities. This contradiction between the state’s liberal ideals and its oppressive actions extends to this day, and at this time of year is more apparent than ever. Just this past week, Attorney General Consuelo Porras ordered the forced removal of 40 Maya Q’eqchi’ families in El Estor, a town in the Izabal department near the Caribbean coast. These families had lived on the land for over a decade, but a prominent local landowner—a doctor and president of the Red Cross in El Estor—claimed it as private property. Nearly 3,000 police officers were deployed to carry out the eviction. This sort of targeting of indigenous communities is not an isolated event. It’s part of a broader, ongoing pattern in the country, where indigenous communities face systemic displacement to make way for state and corporate interests. Izabal, a department rich in minerals, has become a focal point for companies like Mayaniquel, which are aggressively pursuing new government licenses to expand their operations. By law, Guatemala requires free, prior, and informed consent from local—especially indigenous—communities before such projects can move forward. But in practice, corporations work with the Ministry of Energy and Mining to sidestep these obligations, using murky communication and mock-consultations to push projects through. Despite persistent legal challenges and organized resistance by the Maya Q’eqchi’ communities in the region [see here], corporations continue to advance with the backing of a corrupt government. Back in Xela, the acute violence faced by these communities feels far away. The city is absorbed in the pomp and fanfare of the feria; anticipation fills the main square as more and more people flock to the city. Throughout these preparations, the spectacle of independence outpaces the ideals behind it. The population in general is unaware or unbothered by the hypocrisy of a state that proclaims liberty and equality but is so obviously corrupt. It’s a day off work; a day to go out and enjoy the party. Yet it is no coincidence that this city, which has the highest concentration of diverse indigenous groups in Guatemala, throws the biggest feria of “independence” for the country. Through this spectacle, patriotism explodes in the heart of Maya territory. The contradictions faced by these communities are overshadowed by the grand display of national pride. So as we take in the festivities, it’s worth asking: Whose independence are we actually celebrating? |
If you have any questions or concerns, as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Saludos, Manni |