A Mayan spiritual guide accused of 'witchcraft' in Guatemala, later released
This happened in an area where Indigenous people protest against large mining activities
Written by
Prensa Comunitaria
Translated by
Teodora C. Hasegan
Translation posted 15 June 2022 17:07 GMT
Photo by Juan Bautista Xol, used with permission.
This article was originally published by Elías Oxom in Prensa Comunitaria, then edited and republished by Global Voices under a media partnership.
Adela Choc Cuz, a member of the Q’eqchi’ Maya Ancestral Council of the El Estor municipality in eastern Guatemala, and her daughter Sandra Tec Choc, were released in the morning of May 17, after a group of people held them hostage,
accusing them of witchcraft and of inflicting critical health on a woman from the community.
According to Choc Cuz, they were detained in the house for more than 18 hours, without being allowed to consume food or water, in addition to being beaten by members of the family. They took away her clothes, furniture, and kitchen utensils; she had a mill to make nixtamal (tortilla dough from corn flour), a refrigerator, a sewing machine and three bicycles.
Choc Cuz is considered a spiritual guide in her community and she is also part of the anti-mining resistance in El Estor. She was accused of witchcraft by Mario Caal Pec, brother of Selvin Pec, who is the owner of the Evangelical radio station La Voz de Chichipate (The Voice of Chichipate). Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei maintains a close relationship with the country's conservative Evangelical churches, especially on issues that polarize Guatemala, such as laws on women's reproductive health.
. . .
Many Indigenous people practice Catholicism or Evangelism, sometimes merging Christianity with Mayan beliefs in syncretism. According to reports and censuses, the indigenous people — which include 24 ethnic groups — make up between 45 percent and 60 percent of the population in Guatemala. The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) states that “the inequality between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous population in terms of employment, income, health, and education is well-known. Statistics demonstrate persistent practices of racism and discrimination against Indigenous peoples.”
More:
https://globalvoices.org/2022/06/15/a-mayan-spiritual-guide-accused-of-witchcraft-in-guatemala-later-released/
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