Meet the Indigenous Women Taking on Corruption in Guatemala's Elections

Indigenous women are challenging the country’s powerful elites in the elections on 25 June
By Dánae VílchezJune 25, 2023Z ArticleNo Comments9 Mins Read



Indigenous women in politics: banned presidential candidate Thelma Cabrera (left) and Congress candidate Blanca Ajtún in Panajachel, Guatemala | Dánae Vílchez / openDemocracy | Dánae Vílchez / openDemocracy


Guatemala’s upcoming general election on 25 June is a transformative moment for the country as Indigenous women activists seek to break into the political arena, in an attempt to promote women’s rights, environmental policies and other progressive measures that aim to help poverty-stricken Indigenous and rural communities.

These candidates are also trying to preserve the country’s fragile democracy, following recent setbacks under the leadership of right-wing president Alejandro Giammattei, who has been in office since 2020.

After the last elections in 2019, the representation of Indigenous deputies in the Congress of the Republic was less than 10%, despite the Indigenous population accounting for 44% of the population, according to the latest census in 2018.

In Guatemala, Indigenous peoples, who are predominantly Mayan, have always suffered discrimination, including during the long-running civil war (1970-96), when they were targeted by the state’s military forces. Today, 21.8% of the Indigenous population are affected by extreme poverty (compared to 7.4% of the non-Indigenous population). Indigenous women in particular face significant obstacles in accessing education and healthcare.

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