He said “violence is an istrument of the powerful sectors to prevent the society from thinking about alternatives. Every day the people who struggle are constantly worried about our survival, instead of thinking of an alternative project for our people”.

The organized crime groups are inserted in the State, and the high level of violence “is the result of the capitalist and neoliberal system, which is in itself violent”. Domingo made reference to the murder of Argentinean singer/songwriter Facundo Cabral, and to the recent crimes that answer to the expansion of palm oil and the murders that took place in the recent years against social leaders and activists.

“There is a situation of generalized violence, and it was thought to be a result of the coming elections. The main issue of the elections is not whether two political positions or ideologies are confronted, but who controls the state better”, said the spokesperson of the Mayan organization. He mentioned the example of the transnational corporations interests in controlling the Ministry of Energy and Mining.

Meanwhile, Hernandez made reference to the “deep sadness” of the revolutionary and progressive movements in Guatemala when they learned of the death of Alfonso Bauer Paiz, a symbol of the revolutionary government of the 50s.

“He left a legacy of loyalty, of activism at the service of the people. He was born, he lived and he died fighting for his people and for a better future”, he said.

93 year-old Bauer died Sunday.He was part of Juan Jose Arevalo’s revolutionary government (1944-1951) and he also worked in the governmetn during Jacobo Árbenz administration (1951-1954), when he was appointed chair of the National Agrarian Bank that promoted a historic agrarian reform in Guatemala.

After the military coup orchestrated by the Untied States, which ousted Arbenz, the Guatemalan leader was exiled in Mexico, Chile -where he worked in drafting the constitution during Salvador Allende’s era- in Cuba and Nicaragua, where he collaborated with the Sandinista movement.

Photo: http://waqib-kej.org