Latin America Working Group

🌍 Climate change has impacted over 277 million people in hashtag .

🫂 Join Alianza Americas, Refugees International, & LAWGEF to hear from journalists from hashtag hashtag hashtag
📅 Aug 8 @ 2 PM EST

Register here: bit.ly/3zKj6EV

🗓️July 18, 2022 was the biggest raid of arbitrary arrests on the Isla Espíritu Santo in 🇸🇻 The people on this island have ZERO gang ties. So how were 25 people imprisoned?

The in El Salvador allows for arbitrary arrests without a warrant, the removal of due process, and silences the voices of the most vulnerable.

2 years later and 17 people are STILL in prison for having "gang ties." Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad, who works directly with the islanders, reports that they are innocent and were arrested at their homes. They represent thousands of innocent victims arrested to fill quotas.

Let's honor the victims and demand for their immediate release ⚖️

Join LAWG in celebrating pride month as each week we spotlight incredible Latine LGBTQ+ activists, who continue to advocate for their communities!

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️Happy Pride!❤️✊

Las personas defensoras de los derechos humanos promueven la justicia social, la inclusión, la paz y la igualdad. Las sociedades y los estados latinoamericanos y del caribe deben protegerlas y ayudarlas en su labor.

Las personas defensoras de derechos humanos fortalecen nuestras democracias, y no deben ser víctimas de ningún tipo de persecución, hostigamiento o amenazas

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🚨Are you interested in pursuing a career in ?

We are hiring for a Program Assistant/ Financial Associate to start in early March. Join our small & hard-working team in advocating for just US policies towards Latin America!

👇 https://lnkd.in/eGAGn526

📰 Check our latest Migration News Brief 👇
https://bit.ly/3OkmSJH

🔔 Sign up to receive future newsletters: https://bit.ly/lawg-signup

, un foro diverso y democrático para defender los Derechos Humanos, y promover la justicia social y climática en América Latina y el Caribe.

A partir de hoy, activamos perfiles en redes sociales para traerte información sobre nuestro trabajo y sobre las profundas transformaciones que buscamos impulsar en la región.

Puedes conocer más de la iniciativa y sobre nuestra labor en: www.regionar.org

[PT] , o fórum democrático para defender os direitos humanos, promover a justiça social e a diversidade na América Latina e no Caribe.

A partir de hoje, estamos ativando nossos perfis de mídia social para levar informações sobre nosso trabalho e as profundas transformações que buscamos promover na região.

Saiba mais sobre a iniciativa e nosso trabalho em: www.regionar.org

We welcome the Colombian government’s apology for the executions of the 1⃣9⃣ children of the Mothers of Soacha. These families turn their pain into action as they seek justice for their loved ones.

These are 19 of the at least 6,402 people killed by Colombian government security forces as “false positives” – mainly poor young men who were taken by soldiers, sometimes lured with promises of jobs, and then assassinated in order to boost the army’s body count and earn soldiers and military officials promotions and days off.

We must never forget 🕊️

Join us at the Institute for Policy Studies 47th Annual Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Awards on Thursday, Oct 12, 2023.

International Awardee: Tutela Legal Maria Julia Hernandez, a group of lawyers in El Salvador who defend thousands of innocent people detained under the State of Emergency & victims of human rights violations during the civil war.

Domestic Awardee: Black and Pink, a trans-led organization dedicated to abolishing the criminal punishment system & fighting for LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDs through advocacy, support & organizing.

Register here: https://ips-dc.org/about/letelier-moffitt-human-rights-awards/

🗣️Last Friday, LAWG joined and other organizations in front of the White House to demand for and . is the only way to allow individuals who are already living in our communities to legally work and diminish their fear of deportation. ✊

It's time for and to give back and approve TPS designation for Guatemala and the continuance of TPS for Nicaragua, El Salvador, Nepal, and Honduras.✅

Please join us next Tuesday! Registration information below👇

🔴🇨🇺 Next Tuesday, join us in the IPS office (or live online!) for a rare opportunity to participate in a dialogue with a high-level Cuban official, Deputy Minister de Cossío! Register now: https://ips-dc.org/events/uscubawithdecossio/

🗣🇬🇹 Vicki Gass: "Guatemala’s coopted judicial system doesn’t need much justification to continue its criminalization of anti-corruption crusaders and human rights defenders. Despite Semilla’s winning over 60 percent of the vote and the international recognition of Bernardo Arévalo as president-elect, the lawfare against those fighting for change continues."

Read our executive director's blog post on her recent trip to Guatemala to observe the August 20 elections. ✊

https://bit.ly/3Rd6JYD

🗣️ "If the rights of high-profile prosecutors and judges holding public office are endangered, nothing guarantees that an average citizen without public attention is safe."

You can read our full blog post at https://bit.ly/47pp22p, where we interview Juan Francisco Sandoval, the former head of Guatemala’s Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (FECI).

We are happy to introduce our new Mexico and Central America program assistant, Tania Del Moral. Tania recently graduated from Wake Forest University, where she focused on Latin American studies, gender studies and postcolonial studies. Tania grew up between and the U.S 🇲🇽🇺🇸 which has influenced her views on migration and human rights in the Mexico and Central America region. 🌎

Tania will bring her passion for policy advocacy in Latin America, her curiosity to learn, and Spanish fluency to LAWG. Tania is most excited about making LAWG's voice heard in human rights spaces through creative approaches: content-creation, relationship-building, and grassroots organizing. ✊❤

🫂Today marks Yadira Sánchez-Esparza’s last day at LAWG. As the Mexico and Central America Program Assistant, we are very grateful for her tireless advocacy around migrants’ rights, forced disappearances, and the protection of human rights defenders.

The energy and passion she brings to the office every day will truly be missed. We wish you the best in your next steps, Yadira!👏

🇬🇹 Calling all press to join us, Alianza Americas, and Asociacion Guatemaltecos Sin Fronteras DMV this Monday, July 24th, at 11am ET for a press conference with Jordán Rodas Andrade, former Human Rights Ombudsman in , and Thelma Aldana, former Attorney General of .

They will provide a first-hand account of the deep-rooted democratic and human rights crisis in .

👉Register to attend in person or virtually: bit.ly/471MVx4

Desde LAWG, condenamos la decisión de revocar la personalidad jurídica del partido Semilla a manos de la fiscalía general. No solo es esta decisión ilegal, sino que pone en riesgo la participación del partido en la segunda vuelta y la validez del voto de más de 600,000 guatemaltecos que emitieron sus votos en primera vuelta.

Este GOLPE JUDICIAL es inaceptable, y exigimos a Biden y al Congreso de los EE.UU. que condenen los abusos cometidos contra la democracia en Guatemala.

La democracia NO ES NEGOCIABLE. Puede leer nuestro comunicado completo en https://bit.ly/44CupZO

🚨“LAWG condemns the Attorney General’s office decision to revoke the legal status of the Semilla political party in Guatemala.” Moments before the TSE Guatemala were set to make an announcement to certify the electoral results of June 25, prosecutor Rafael Currichiche, who is sanctioned under the Engel's list for corruption, made the announcement that the Semilla party is suspended.

❌ This move is ILLEGAL and a judicial coup d'etat. Article 92 of the Electoral Law clearly establishes that the legal status of a political party cannot be revoked after participation in an electoral process.

🇬🇹 Bernardo Arévalo, the presidential candidate of Movimiento Semilla, came in second place and was scheduled to face Sandra Torres of the National Unity of Hope (UNE) party in a run-off election on August 20, 2023. Bernardo Arévalo de León is a staunch anti-corruption candidate, and the people of made their voices heard by voting him through.

📢 The people’s choice MUST be respected. To read LAWG’s full statement: bit.ly/44CupZO

The Guatemalan State MUST ensure that citizens' votes are respected and refrain from persecuting Electoral Board members and other defenders.

We join 195 other organizations urging to guarantee free and fair elections as well as the protection of citizens.

🚨 Are you looking for a fall internship?

‼️ We are still seeking two who are passionate about in Latin America! 🌎 Our current interns, marconavarro03 and Citli Valencia, are working on social media, research for the newsletters, and attending LOTS of interesting events.

If this gets you excited, please apply on our website at LAWG.org. The deadline is July 23rd.⏰

‼️ Today is the last day of June and the last day to renew your LAWG membership! We are so grateful for all our supporters dedicated to standing up for human rights in .

👇As a small, but mighty team, this is the type of work you support. Your donation and activism help stop injustice and support the positive changes you want to see in Latin America–and in U.S. policy. Give today: bit.ly/lawgdonate

is in a KEY moment where there is HOPE that peace is possible. There are still threats to human rights but we can demand the implementation of the peace accords for all. 🇨🇴

We need your help. Please give today: bit.ly/lawgdonate

🇲🇽🇺🇸 Did you know that over 70% of guns found at crime scenes in Mexico were traced back to the ? US-sourced fi****ms are responsible for violence in , which is a root cause of migration.

❌ U.S. fi****ms are used to threaten human rights defenders, to extort shop owners, and to displace Indigenous communities.

This must end. In the face of this uncontrolled violence, innocent people are forced to leave their homes in search of safety.

Please join the LAWG team, civil society partners, survivors, and activists in , Central America, and the United States to demand action from the U.S. government. Please donate today to take a stand against gun violence: bit.ly/lawgdonate

Hondurans Fight Private Cities Run by U.S. Companies as Gov’t Sued for Outlawing “Neocolonial Project” In Honduras, communities are fighting back against privatization and foreign exploitation after Honduran President Xiomara Castro and Congress repealed a law that established so-called Economic Development and Employment Zones, where private companies have “functional and administrative autonomy.....

🇸🇻 LAWG was honored to host David Morales from Cristosal and listen to his presentation about the systemic human rights violations in ’s state of exception.

Cristosal’s report highlights the torture people face when they are wrongfully detained, and Morales asserts that “the victims are hardworking people without economic resources.” ❌

We must stand up to these inhumane practices and continue demanding justice for the innocent families affected.

Thank you to Leonor Arteaga from DPLF - Due Process of Law Foundation / Fundación para el Debido Proceso and Carolina Jiménez from Washington Office on Latin America - WOLA for participating in the panel and detailing how President Bukele’s state of exception has become the norm.

(Pictured is our Program Associate, Yadira Sánchez-Esparza, with David Morales.)

‼️ We need YOUR help to expand our work on economic rights!

Everyone deserves to live under sustainable fiscal and economic development policies. 🌱

Donate today! ✅ bit.ly/lawgdonate