The promises to implement policies to strengthen rural development were not fulfilled and the situation of the most vulnerable sectors remained the same, despite the former president’s campaign in 2008 advertising a new era of “privilege for the poor”.

On January 15, Colom, representative of the Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza party ended his office and retired military Otto Perez Molina of the Patriotic Party was sworn in. Everything seems to indicate that things could get worse for the Guatemalan social movements.

Meanwhile, the local organizations warned about the increasing “plunder of natural resources”, such as the case of oil exploitation by French corporation Perenco in Peten department or the government’s refusal to respect the ruling of the International Commission on Human Rights regarding Marlin mining corporation.

Manuel Perez, representative of the National Coordination of Peasant Organizations (CNOC) explained how complex the situation is in an interview with the Guatemalan correspondent of La Voz de los Movimientos, the radio show of CLOC-Vía Campesina.

The peasant leader said that under Colom’s administration agrarian policies were non existent and that it was impossible to work towards rural development, an old demand of the peasant organizations.
The countryside was left behind during the 2011 electoral campaign.

“They did not listen to our demands, instead they criminalized the indigenous and peasant movement through more evictions and repression”, said Perez.

The CNOC leader admitted that under Otto Perez administration the future is uncertain. “What is clear is that we will keep up the fight”.

Photo: Prensa Libre