Reps. Grijalva, Schakowsky, García Calls for State Department to Support Indigenous Human Rights Leaders in Guatemala 

Press Release

Today, Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) led 14 Members of Congress calling on the Department of State to support Indigenous human rights leaders in Guatemala, including Sofia Tot Ac.

Sofia Tot Ac is an Indigenous Poqomchi and Q'eqchi' leader in the municipality of Purulha, department of Baja Verapaz, Guatemala. She holds numerous important leadership positions in the region. On June 19, 2022, Tot Ac was arrested and charged with aggravated theft and aggravated usurpation of protected areas. Human rights organizations working in the region believe these charges are fraudulent and are meant to terrorize Tot Ac and other human rights defenders.

As a result of these events, the signers of the letter call on the State Department to "condemn the arrest of Sofia Tot Ac and request the following action from the State Department:

An investigation into the charges against Sofia Tot Ac;
An investigation into what extent the U.S. has provided funds or training to the police, prosecutors, and judges involved in her case;
We request State Department representatives be present at Sofia Tot Ac's upcoming hearings;
We request that [the State Department] inform us to what extent U.S. government funds, equipment, training, and/or other support has gone to the Purulha military outpost and hydroelectric dam projects in Purulha, Baja Verapaz.
"The government is trying to intimidate human rights defenders so that we will be quiet," said Sofia Tot Ac." But I will not be silent while my indigenous brothers and sisters are starving from having their land stolen by foreign companies."

Tot Ac's hearing was postponed from Thursday, October 6, 2022 to another date.

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