In Guatemala, hydroelectric projects, mining, agro-export monocultures, and extractive industries pose significant threats to rural communities, especially those inhabited by Mayan peoples. In most cases, these projects lead to corporate capture of land, housing, and natural resources, characterized by the systematic violation of prior consultation and the self-determination of the peoples, the criminalization of social struggles, and the militarization of territories.
As part of the project by ESCR-Net to support community-led research, the Wuxthaj Women’s Council investigated the experiences of communities facing attempts to install hydroelectric plants in their territory. The primary objective of this research is to highlight the violations of human rights, natural resources, and our mother earth by hydroelectric companies through the testimonies of the affected communities. Additionally, it aims to reinforce women’s empowerment so they can understand and take action on the environmental impacts that corporations leave in their communities and to strengthen the defense of the territory with the results of this report. To obtain this information, permission was requested from community authorities, the objectives of the investigation were explained, and since the Wuxthaj People’s Council, articulated with the Maya People’s Council (CPO), has been accompanying their struggles and taking legal action against hydroelectric companies, we were allowed to hold the necessary meetings to conduct community mapping with leaders and also to survey the general population about the events in their territory.
Methodologies
In September 2022, a community mapping workshop was held in each of the three communities. Thirteen participants from San Mateo Ixtatán, 15 from Santa Eulalia, and 16 from Santa Cruz Barillas, for a total of 44 participants, participated. During this workshop, participants were asked to identify and map the main impacts of the hydroelectric projects in their communities.
To delve deeper into the issue of criminalization, eight individuals, both women and men, who suffered violence and criminalization by the companies in the three communities were interviewed. Lastly, a survey was carried out to collect the general population’s opinions on the attempts to install hydroelectric plants. Ninety-eight people from the mentioned communities participated in this survey.
