Attacked, beaten, robbed →

Luis Adolfo Ich Choc, Q'eqchi' community defender from El Estor

Rights Action shares this information from the Ancestral Council of the Q'eqchi' People of El Estor, Guatemala.

Luis Adolfo Ich Choc suffers attacks and robberies
Ancestral Council of the Q'eqchi' People of El Estor
El Estor, Izabal, October 29, 2022

Luis is the son of defender Angelica Choc and the late Adolfo Ich, killed on September 27, 2009 by the private security of CGN, then owned by Hudbay Minerals (from Canada).

Luis is an elected representative of the Ancestral Council of the Q'eqchi' People of El Estor.

First attack and robbery
On Friday, September 16, Luis was summoned to a meeting in Rio Dulce, to discuss issues related to the follow-up of the Pre-consulta and Consulta, and the supposed election of two authorities - a titular and a substitute - to represent the Q'eqchi' peoples before the COCODE (Departmental Development Council).

The people behind this supposed election are Romel Adelson Reyes Reyes and representatives of the municipality of El Estor. They were already bringing the supposedly elected people, in order to favor the mining company Solway Investment Group (Suisa company), and its subsidiary CGN.

During the meeting, Luis opposed the supposed election. He took the floor and demanded that an election for indigenous peoples' representatives be done in a transparent manner and in an assembly, so that there would be no inconformity. Luis fought for the supposed election to be repeated, and it was successful. This provoked the anger of the people who were trying to advance the interests favoring Solway Investment Group/CGN.

After the meeting, Luis was on his way home to El Estor at 7:30pm, when two individuals on a motorcycle, wearing masks, caught up with him. They shot twice in the direction of Luis, who stopped. They told him: "We are looking for you. You are the one who is screwing around. Today it's time for you to stop screwing around."

They proceeded to rob Luis of his cell phone, personal documents such as DPI and cash. As they did so, the criminals got on the motorcycle and shot again in Luis' direction. Luis was unharmed by the robbery and assault.

Second attack
A month later, Luis suffered a second attack. On Wednesday, October 19, at about 9:30pm, after leaving a soccer game with friends, three criminals were waiting for him outside the synthetic soccer field in El Estor. When the criminals saw him, they told him: "We are waiting for you".

Without saying a word, they attacked Luis. Between the three of them, they beat him and kicked him until they fractured the shoulder of his right arm. So far, Luis is still recovering from the attack, worried about the situation because he fears for his life and that of his family.

***

The violations of the rights of the Q'eqchi' peoples by the Guatemalan state and municipal authorities of El Estor, Izabal, continue. As always, favoring the mining company Solway Investment Group/CGN, which continues to illegally exploit the mineral resources in El Estor.

The Ancestral Council of the Q'eqchi' People of El Estor condemns the violent acts and physical aggressions that Luis Adolfo Ich Choc has suffered as a form of intimidation to silence his voice as a defender of the rights of indigenous peoples.

Attentively,
Ancestral Council of the Q'eqchi' People, El Estor
Facebook: Council of Ancestral Q'eqchi' Authorities

We will continue in resistance until this mining company closes down
and that it does not continue destroying our natural resources.

More Information

TESTIMONIO: Canadian Mining in the Aftermath of Genocides in Guatemala
The Mining Secrets revelations about Solway Investment Group re-confirm and add to what is published in our book TESTIMONIO, that addresses four community defense/ mining resistance struggles in Guatemala.