In an interview with Real World Radio, Chávez stated that one of the alternatives to change this reality is related to the initiatives carried out by young Maya people to defend Mother Earth and against mining projects.

According to her, the Maya youth is considered “cheap labour” for coffee production, sugar cane and textile plants.

Many of these textile plants are owned by international corporations and work in free zones.

In these places, the labour rights of the young people and women are permanently violated: pregnant women are fired, unions are repressed and salaries are extremely low.

“Also, there is an increase of the criminalization of struggles, because these corporations are seeing how the organization of young people and women has improved. Several people have been murdered because of their defense to the territories”, denounced Chávez.

The militarization of communities is being implemented by the government with the excuse to fight against drug traffic and youth violence.

“The army goes to the streets when the communities are starting to being aware of the importance of the defense of territories”, warned the representative of the Indigenous Youth Council of Guatemala.

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