2023-11-22 08:03:41
My solidarity with Eduardo Velásquez Carrera, Rodolfo Chang, Alfonso Beber Aceituno and the other university professionals who have been so vilely insulted by the regime of corruption. Prestigious Guatemalan academics, Sancarlistas with a track record, who have stood out both in the academic field and in teaching and university management. People who have governed their lives by authentic university principles and who have defended the autonomy of the University of San Carlos de Guatemala throughout their lives in compliance with their right, but also with an obligation for all Sancarlistas. A duty that, unfortunately, so many others have failed. The role of academia and intellectuals committed to the country and its institutions is fundamental for the advancement of society. The criminalizing action harms, beyond individuals and their families, the entire society. The intention to inhibit the political sphere and the thinking of citizens and academics pays off in the long term with the lack of creativity, innovation and initiative of future generations. It impacts social and economic development. We already experienced it once in Guatemala, decades behind. Why do they want to repeat it?
Likewise, with the Sancarlista students who, in legitimate defense of violated autonomy, are now persecuted and subjected to judicial processes. Such injustice! They want to intimidate and weaken the student movement that has openly defended democracy and has demonstrated against the illegalities that have been committed in the desire to subjugate and co-opt State institutions. Not to mention, the perversity of directly harming the president-elect, Bernardo Arévalo, the vice president-elect, Karin Herrera, and the candidate for deputy for the Semilla party Marcela Blanco, a young Landivarian, also unjustly detained last week.
Solidarity with the academy and youth.
Karin Slowing
What situation do you want to lead the country to with these actions? The political instability, uncertainty and fear they unleash does not lead to anything good. Enough of trying to undermine democracy and citizen actions to defend it. On the contrary, the country needs its youth to commit to the country and assume their role in forging a better future than the one our generations, still so marked by the armed conflict, have managed to build.
Furthermore, there is a great need for the State’s efforts, still in this administration, to concentrate on addressing all emergencies such as those that are occurring in the northern part of the country, with the floods that have literally submerged several communities. The problems of hunger and malnutrition, which do not stop, traffic accidents, deficits in the health system. Being in a transition period does not mean that the current government ignores its functions to respond to the population, especially when it is once again facing such a deep and repeated livelihood crisis. Izabal, Petén, Alta Verapaz in very critical situations, but we know that soon there will be other departments, other territories.
But in the current political conditions of the country, society and government entities cannot focus on working on these actions when society lives in anxiety because its entities are committed to criminalizing people. For this to happen, it is necessary to stop seeing citizens as enemies of the State, seek the minimum agreement that democracies can achieve, and get back on track with the country.
#political #prisoners