Guatemala: Ayutla, SF Retalhuleu and Quetzaltenango

The 2 World March in Guatemala: Ayutla, SF Retalhuleu and Quetzaltenango. Tight schedule in different departments of the West.

The Guatemalan Promoting Team (EP) was waiting for the members of the Base Team (EB) from Chiapas - Mexico, at the Tecún Umán border.

That border that day was closed. The same police authorities suggested using the rafters by the well-known Paso del Coyote, a means used by all undocumented immigrants who come from the south on their way to the US.

In the World March also its activists became wet-wet backs, but in this case traveling south.

Guatemalan friends were waiting for the Base Team on the other side of the Suchiate river, accompanied by the local Volunteer Firefighters. I expected program
tight activities.

The day began with an event at the Casa del Migrante to show solidarity with the support actions they provide to national and Central American migrants on their route to Mexico and the United States.

The postulates of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence were shared

Alberto Vásquez, a member of the Promoter Team, shared the postulates of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, confronting the experiences of one of the busiest borders in America.

Mario Morales of Casa del Migrante thanked the visit and the recognition of the daily work done. Luis Alberto de León, member of the Guatemalan Promoter Team shared that migration is recognized as a right, to which all guarantees must be given and invited that the people present will express respect.

Karina García expressed words of encouragement and motivation to the people and families present, reading a Poem to the March by anonymous author.

Those present participated in the reading.

Afterwards, games were delivered to the Migrant's House as educational material for the local girls and boys.

At the end of the dialogue, several people shared their travel experience and requested guidance.

The Migrant House, so far this year 2019, has attended 11.006 migrants, according to the person in charge of the place.

Hours later, the Guatemalan Promotion Team met members of the Base Team, at the “Coyote” pass, after crossing the Suchiate River by raft, the natural division between Mexico and Guatemala.

The group, already unified, moved to the department of Retalhuleu

The group, now unified, moved to the department of Retalhuleu, by land, meeting on the way with “El Caminante” Oswaldo Ochoa, icon of the protests against corruption in Guatemala, to head as a group to the Hilario Galindo school in San Felipe. Retalhuleu.

In it, the Girls and Boys Club, accompanied by the Play for Peace organization, developed a session of games, drawings and coexistence around Peace and violence prevention.

They were accompanied by mothers, teachers and institutional technicians. The Base Team developed an exchange of ideas around the main actions of the 2 World March, then shared food from the community and ended with relationship games, such as the Parachute game.

Later it was traveled by mountain road, in a heavy rain, towards the department of Quetzaltenango. There a press conference was held with local media in front of the Municipal Government building.

The actions developed in the 40 days that it has been traveling were announced

The postulates of the 2ª World March and the actions developed in the 40 days that it has been traveling, expressed by Rafael de la Rubia and Sandro Ciani.

Oswaldo Ochoa “El Caminante” accompanied by his son, highlighted that “Peace begins in each person and that the money of the armies serves for Peace and against misery.”

On 15, the Base Team, from Quetzaltenango, moved to the city of Antigua Guatemala.

There they joined: the Educational Development Unit of the City Hall of the city of Mixco, Play for Peace, MSGySV and Los Niños Son Primero, moving to Cerro de la Cruz, where they joined the Pro Improvement Committee of Cerro de la Cruz .

Together they began a walk to the top of it. There was a ceremony to support the Peace and the World March.

Together they began a walk to the top of it. There was a ceremony to support the Peace and the World March.

At the end, a “chicozapote” tree was planted, as a symbol of unity and encounter. In the atmosphere was the aspiration to hold future meetings and develop violence prevention methodologies.

Among the participants it was agreed to continue the activities in order to celebrate the closing of the MM on the 8 / 3 / 2020 International Women's Day.


Drafting: Alberto Vásquez
Photographs: Luis A. De León

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