48 Cantones de Totonicapán
The 48 Cantones de Totonicapán are an indigenous Mayan organisation and legitimate authority of the people of Totonicapán in western Guatemala. The organisation works on behalf of the Mayan K'iche’ people and their collective rights to territory, cultural identity, and autonomy.
Since Otto Pérez Molina assumed the role of President in January 2012, cases of harassment and threats against HRDs have been on the rise. Human rights defenders (HRDs) in Guatemala are subjected to death threats, physical attacks, acts of harassment, surveillance, stigmatisation, judicial harassment, arbitrary detention, forced disappearance and killings. Many of the violations are carried out by clandestine security structures and illegal groups. The exceptionally high level of impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators increases the risk exponentially for HRDs.
