Aparicio Perez, of the Committee of Peasant Union (CUC), told Real World Radio that this was a “historic march” which will be remembered in a few years as a “landmark in terms of solidarity”.

Perez made reference to the meetings with government authorities which ended on March 28th at 2 am with a meeting with Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina.

For instance, the authorities of the Supreme Court of Justice committed to respond today, in writing, the demands submitted by the organizations, linked to the investigation of violent evictions and an end to the persecution of community leaders.

Then, the delegation of peasants and indigenous people was received by MPs of the 19 parties represented in Congress, who promised to approve “with national urgency” the Integral Rural Development Bill, which has been promoted for over 12 years by social organizations.
They also talked about putting other initiatives related to the respect of the rights of indigenous people on the agenda, as well as the regularization of community radios.

According to Perez, in their meeting, the Guatemalan President recognized that the platform presented includes “fair demands that respond to structural problems”.

“He said he was not going to make promises but to comply immediately with the agreements we signed with the Executive Branch”, said the CUC spokesperson. This way, he made reference to the cancellation of the agrarian debt through a trust fund that would benefit 14 thousand families; the withdraw of the Army from areas where agrarian conflicts take place and the respect to precautionary measures by the IACHR related to violent evictions.

The rest of the issues will be dealt with at a new meeting with Perez Molina, scheduled for April 19th.