Friends of CRLN,

Our solidarity work with the people of Guatemala has evolved over the decades, but one thing remains constant: our belief that Indigenous communities are at the forefront of social change, justice, and liberation. This truth holds across the Americas.

We are honored to partner with Colectiva Ceiba, Alma de Izote, Mijente and Comité de Desarrollo Campesino (CODECA) to welcome renowned human rights defenders Thelma Cabrera and Neftalí López to Chicago. We hope to see you at one or both events.

🗓 Date: Tuesday, October 22

⏰ Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM

📍 Location: 8th Street Casa De Cultura
  (2057 W 18th St. Chicago, IL 60608)

  Free to everyone. Masks required.


🗓 Date: Thursday, October 24

⏰ Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM

📍 Location: Latin Patio Restaurant
  (3115 N Central Ave. Chicago, IL 60634)

  Free to everyone. Masks required.

Many of you may remember Thelma Cabrera from her 2019 presidential run. Although she placed fourth, her candidacy inspired rural and Indigenous communities, solidifying her position as a significant political figure in Guatemala.

A renowned Indigenous leader and human rights defender from Guatemala, Thelma is recognized for her tireless work with CODECA, which advocates for land rights, social justice, and the defense of Indigenous and rural communities. A member of the Maya Mam people, Cabrera has emerged as a powerful voice in the fight against corruption, exploitation, and systemic exclusion. In 2019, she ran as a presidential candidate with the Movimiento para la Liberaciónde los Pueblos (Movement for the Liberation of the People, MLP), following in the footsteps of Rigoberta Menchú. Her leadership has made her one of Guatemala’s most prominent voices in the fight for Indigenous self-determination and against the deep-rooted inequalities in the country.

Her presidential candidacy galvanized support from rural areas and indigenous groups, positioning her as a key political figure. Her platform advocated for structural changes, including the convening of a Constitutional Assembly to transform Guatemala into a plurinational state that recognizes Indigenous rights and autonomy. Despite her exclusion from the 2023 election, by the manipulation of the system by corrupt structures, Cabrera’s impact remains significant, continuing to push for systemic change through grassroots mobilization.

Neftalí López is a prominent leader within CODECA, scholar and political consultant, expert on Indigenous Maya customary law and on contexts of juridical pluralism. He was Thelma Cabrera’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election. López is known for his long-standing work in defending the rights of farmworkers and Indigenous peoples, particularly in the areas of land reform and the nationalization of key public services such as energy. His work with CODECA has made him a central figure in mobilizing rural communities against neoliberal policies and corruption that have long marginalized Guatemala’s most vulnerable populations.

During the 2019 campaign, López emphasized the MLP’s goal of convening a Constitutional Assembly to create a plurinational state, ensuring representation and rights for Guatemala’s Indigenous communities. Under his leadership, CODECA has grown into a powerful social and political movement, despite the dangers its members face—38 activists have been killed since the organization’s inception. López remains a dedicated advocate for justice, working to transform Guatemala’s political landscape and build a more equitable society for all.



In permanent resistance and solidarity,

Jhonathan
 

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Join us on Saturday, October 19 for a Webinar to learn about the Ongoing Maya Ixil Case in Guatemala

CRLN Community,

Following the delegation to Guatemala in July, we held an in-person report-back event with participants to reflect on the experiences and insights gained. We are glad to continue this important conversation with an upcoming webinar that invites us all to learn more and listen to the survivors who continue to fight for justice as the trial continues today.

We sincerely thank you for your solidarity, your continued collaboration and dedication to the work in defense of Human Rights in Latin América and Guatemala.

We invite you to attend this informative webinar focused on the Maya Ixil Genocide Trial for the Lucas García period (1978-1982). This case, supported by survivors of the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR), sheds light on the systematic violence inflicted upon the Maya Ixil population during Guatemala’s military dictatorship.

🗓 Date: Saturday, October 19

⏰ Time: 3 PM Guatemala / 4 PM Chicago

📍 REGISTER HERE

We are honored to feature José Silvio Tay Cusanero, legal advisor to the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR) —an association of survivors and family members who are working for justice and for the crimes commited duirng the war and genocides in Guatemala. He is also plaintiffs in the Ixil Genocide case against Benedicto Lucas García, and served as a witness in the first genocide case against Efraín Ríos Montt.

We will also hear from Evelyn Zepeda and Josue Sicán, community organizers and activists from Guatemala born in Chicago, who participated in the July human rights delegation. Additionally, Michelle Lian, a current accompanier with NISGUA in Guatemala will speak about their work in solidarity with the Maya Ixil communities. The event will be moderated by Jhonathan F. Gómez from CRLN. We are glad to collaborate on this event with NISGUA and Colectiva Ceiba.

This is a critical opportunity to learn about Guatemala’s ongoing fight for justice and historical memory, especially concerning the war crimes against Indigenous communities. The trial represents a significant step in addressing the atrocities that have shaped the country’s history.

About the Maya Ixil Genocide Case
The Maya Ixil genocide case during the Lucas García period focuses on the systematic violence perpetrated by Guatemala’s army under the regime of General Romeo Lucas García (1978-1982). Military forces targeted the Maya Ixil population through massacres, torture, sexual violence, forced displacement, and scorched earth tactics as part of a broader state campaign against Indigenous communities. This case seeks justice for these war crimes, internationally recognized as acts of genocide, and represents an important step in the efforts for justice and historical memory in Guatemala.

Delegation Context
The primary goal of our recent delegation was to provide in-person accompaniment to the Maya Ixil community, whose witnesses and survivors of genocide testified during the hearings of this historic trial. The trial, marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for justice and accountability. As International Human Rights Accompaniers, the delegation documented their experiences and engaged with human rights defenders, community leaders, and organizations throughout Guatemala.

Join us in this important dialogue as we work together for justice and memory.

(Texto en el idioma español después del texto en ingles.)

Urgent Call to End the Criminalization of Rigoberto Juárez and Ermitaño López, Indigenous Ancestral Authorities and Human Rights Defenders of Guatemala

October, 2024

Human rights organizations and advocates, urgently call for an immediate end to the unjust criminalization of Rigoberto Juárez Mateo and Bernardo Ermitaño López, human rights defenders and respected ancestral authorities of the Maya Q’anjob’al, Chuj, Akateko, Poptí and Mestizo people of Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Juárez and López have dedicated their lives to the protection of Indigenous lands and the rights of their people, standing in opposition to harmful foreign-funded hydroelectric projects that threaten their environment and well-being. Despite their long-standing commitment to justice, these leaders now face renewed criminal charges that represent a grave abuse of the legal system. These charges come as a result of their legitimate efforts to mediate conflicts and advocate for their communities. The two leaders have become emblematic of the larger struggle faced by Indigenous communities in their fight to protect their land, culture, and rights in the face of powerful extractive industries.

However, despite their peaceful resistance and their commitment to dialogue and justice, both Juárez and López have become targets of legal persecution by powerful interests seeking to suppress opposition. Their criminalization is not only a deliberate misuse of the legal system but also an attempt to silence Indigenous voices and movements that challenge the government of Guatemalan’s alignment with corporate and financial interests.

The roots of this injustice can be traced back to 2009 when tensions in the region began to escalate due to the imposition of large-scale development projects without the consent of the local Indigenous communities. In response, Juárez and López stepped in to mediate between the communities and external forces, advocating for the rights of their people and calling for a halt to these destructive projects. Instead of being recognized for their legitimate efforts to protect their ancestral lands, they were met with retaliation, and eventually, fabricated charges were brought against them.

In 2016, after enduring 486 days of unjust imprisonment, both leaders were acquitted by Judge Yassmín Barrios, whose ruling highlighted the lack of evidence and the political motivations behind their detention. However, despite this victory, the Public Ministry’s relentless pursuit of an appeal has led to renewed accusations and devastating prison sentences—7 years for Juárez and a staggering 23 years for López. These sentences represent a gross miscarriage of justice, deeply rooted in racial discrimination and the Guatemalan state’s long history of criminalizing Indigenous leaders who dare to resist corporate exploitation.

The case of Rigoberto Juárez Mateo and Bernardo Ermitaño López is part of a broader, deeply troubling pattern of systemic abuses against Indigenous leaders in Guatemala. Across the country, defenders of land and human rights are facing increasing levels of intimidation, violence, and judicial harassment. The weaponization of the legal system against Indigenous leaders like Juárez and López is a clear violation of their fundamental rights and an alarming sign of the shrinking space for civil society and Indigenous resistance. We stand in solidarity with these courageous leaders and call upon the international community, human rights organizations, and all those who believe in justice and Indigenous rights to join us in demanding an end to this wrongful criminalization and to support Rigoberto Juárez Mateo and Bernardo Ermitaño López in their struggle for justice.

Call to Action

• Immediate Reversal of the Sentences: We urge the Constitutional Court of Guatemala to promptly grant the amparo filed by Rigoberto Juárez Mateo and Bernardo Ermitaño López and to overturn the unjust sentences that threaten their freedom and safety.
  
  
• End to Criminalization of Indigenous Defenders: We call for an immediate end of the systematic criminalization of Indigenous leaders exercising their right to defend their lands and cultures. The government of Guatemala must uphold its obligations under international human rights law, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
  
  
• International Pressure on the Guatemalan Government: We urge international human rights organizations, governments, and multilateral institutions to increase pressure on Guatemala to halt its persecution of Indigenous leaders. These defenders must be protected and supported, not punished, for their critical role in safeguarding human rights and the environment.
  
  
• Accountability for Corporations and Financiers: We demand accountability from corporations and financial institutions, including the Inter-American Development Bank, that have financed projects leading to the displacement and criminalization of Indigenous communities. These entities must be held responsible for their involvement in human rights violations and should withdraw support from projects that violate Indigenous rights.
  
  
• Protection for Human Rights Defenders: We call on the Guatemalan government to enhance protections for human rights defenders, ensuring that leaders like Rigoberto Juárez Mateo can continue their vital work without fear of persecution. The state must implement effective measures to prevent further criminalization and violence against defenders, in line with its international legal obligations.
  
  //

Llamado Urgente para Poner Fin a la Criminalización de Rigoberto Juárez y Ermitaño López, Autoridades Ancestrales Indígenas y Defensores de los Derechos Humanos de Guatemala

Octubre, 2024


Organizaciones de derechos humanos y persona defensoras de derechos humanos urgimos el fin inmediato de la injusta criminalización de Rigoberto Juárez Mateo y Bernardo Ermitaño López, defensores de los derechos humanos y respetadas autoridades ancestrales de los pueblos Maya Q’anjob’al, Chuj, Akateko, Poptí y Mestizo de Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Juárez y López han dedicado sus vidas a la protección de las tierras indígenas y la defensa de los derechos de sus pueblos, oponiéndose a proyectos hidroeléctricos financiados por inversiones extranjeras que amenazan su entorno y bienestar. A pesar de su compromiso con la justicia, estos líderes enfrentan ahora nuevos cargos criminales que representan un grave abuso del sistema legal. Estas acusaciones son el resultado de sus esfuerzos legítimos por mediar en los conflictos y abogar por sus comunidades. Ambos se han convertido en símbolos de la lucha más amplia de las comunidades indígenas por proteger su tierra, cultura y derechos frente a las poderosas industrias extractivas.

Sin embargo, a pesar de su resistencia pacífica y su compromiso con el diálogo y la justicia, tanto Juárez como López se han convertido en blancos de la persecución legal por parte de intereses poderosos que buscan reprimir la oposición. Su criminalización no solo es un uso indebido deliberado del sistema legal, sino también un intento de silenciar a las voces y movimientos indígenas que desafían la alineación del gobierno de Guatemala con los intereses corporativos y financieros.

Las raíces de esta injusticia se dan en el año 2009, cuando las tensiones en la región comenzaron a aumentar debido a la imposición de proyectos de desarrollo a gran escala sin el consentimiento de las comunidades indígenas locales. En respuesta, Juárez y López intervinieron para mediar entre las comunidades y las fuerzas externas, abogando por los derechos de su pueblo y llamando a detener estos proyectos destructivos. En lugar de ser reconocidos por sus esfuerzos legítimos para proteger sus tierras ancestrales, fueron objeto de represalias y finalmente se les imputaron cargos falsos.

En 2016, tras soportar 486 días de prisión injusta, ambos líderes fueron absueltos por la jueza Yassmín Barrios, cuya sentencia destacó la falta de pruebas y las motivaciones políticas detrás de su detención. Sin embargo, a pesar de esta victoria, la implacable persecución de la Fiscalía ha resultado en nuevas acusaciones y sentencias devastadoras de prisión: 7 años para Juárez y de manera asombrosa, 23 años para López. Estas sentencias representan una grave injusticia, profundamente enraizada en la discriminación racial y la larga historia del Estado de Guatemala para criminalizar a líderes indígenas que se atreven a resistir la explotación corporativa.

El caso de Rigoberto Juárez Mateo y Bernardo Ermitaño López forma parte de un patrón más amplio y profundamente preocupante de abusos sistemáticos contra líderes indígenas en Guatemala. En todo el país, los defensores de la tierra y los derechos humanos enfrentan niveles crecientes de intimidación, violencia y acoso judicial. La instrumentalización del sistema legal contra líderes indígenas como Juárez y López es una violación clara de sus derechos fundamentales y una señal alarmante del reducido espacio para la sociedad civil y la resistencia indígena.

Nos solidarizamos con estos valientes líderes y hacemos un llamado a la comunidad internacional, a las organizaciones de derechos humanos y a todos aquellos que creen en la justicia y los derechos de los pueblos indígenas para que se unan a exigir el fin a esta criminalización injusta y que apoyen a Rigoberto Juárez Mateo y Bernardo Ermitaño López en su lucha por la justicia.

Llamado a la Acción

• Revocación Inmediata de las Sentencias: Instamos a la Corte Constitucional de Guatemala a conceder prontamente el amparo presentado por Rigoberto Juárez Mateo y Bernardo Ermitaño López, y a revocar las sentencias injustas que amenazan su libertad y seguridad.
  
  
• Fin a la Criminalización de Defensores Indígenas: Exigimos el fin inmediato de la criminalización sistemática de los líderes indígenas que ejercen su derecho a defender sus tierras y culturas. El gobierno de Guatemala debe cumplir con sus obligaciones bajo el derecho internacional de los derechos humanos, incluida la Declaración de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas (DNUDPI).
  
  
• Presión Internacional sobre el Gobierno de Guatemala: Instamos a las organizaciones internacionales de derechos humanos, a los gobiernos y a las instituciones multilaterales a aumentar la presión sobre Guatemala para que detenga la persecución de líderes indígenas. Estos defensores deben ser protegidos y apoyados, no castigados, por su papel crucial en la protección de los derechos humanos y el medio ambiente.
  
  
• Rendición de Cuentas para Corporaciones y Financieros: Exigimos responsabilidad por parte de las corporaciones e instituciones financieras, incluido el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, que han financiado proyectos que han llevado al desplazamiento y criminalización de las comunidades indígenas. Estas entidades deben ser responsables de su participación en violaciones de derechos humanos y deben retirar su apoyo a proyectos que violen los derechos indígenas.
  
  
• Protección para los Defensores de Derechos Humanos: Hacemos un llamado al gobierno de Guatemala para que fortalezca la protección de los defensores de derechos humanos, asegurando que líderes como Rigoberto Juárez Mateo y Bernardo Ermitaño López puedan continuar su labor vital sin temor a la persecución. El Estado debe implementar medidas efectivas para prevenir la criminalización y la violencia contra los defensores, de conformidad con sus obligaciones legales internacionales.

Join us on Wednesday, June 12 for a unique In-Person Student Public Art Event

WHAT: In-person Student Public Art-Making Event
by DePaul University Students
WHEN: Thursday, June 12, from 11:30 AM to 1:45 PM
WHERE: Latinx Cultural Center – O’Connell Room 360
at 1036 W. Belden Ave, Lincoln Park

We are very glad to invite you to a special in-person Collaborative Public Art-Making event at the Latinx Cultural Center at DePaul University. Join us from 11:30 AM to 1:45 PM and experience remarkable art projects by students from the “Historical Memory Project: Ni Olvido, Ni Perdón” class. Students will also invite people who attend to join in the art making. This unique event will feature projects that can provide insights into:

• El Salvador: Sin Tierra, Sin Frutos. Exploring the fight of Trans people.
• Guatemala: Culture is not for sale. The role of Guatemala’s textiles as a centuries-old form of Indigenous cultural resistance.
• El Salvador: Rompe La Carcel. Mega prisons, their connection to gang culture, and societal consequences.
• Guatemala: The Destructive Fruit Company. A look at the infamous Unite Fruit Company’s legacy of colonialism and imperialisms.
• Honduras: Climate Activists: de la tierra somos, a la tierra regresamos. Exploring land rights through the work of human rights defenders like Berta Cáceres.

This event is the culmination of a collaboration between CRLN and HumanitiesX at DePaul University. In 2023, CRLN was honored with a fellowship by DePaul University, allowing us to work closely with the exceptional professors Susana Martínez and Lydia Saravia. You can read more about this unique and inspiring project HERE.

We look forward to seeing you there. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at jgomez@clrn.org, or mmckenna@crln.org.


En resistencia y solidaridad permanente

Jhonathan F. Gómez

Dear CRN friends,

Once again, we are asking you to stand in solidarity with the people of El Salvador.

WHEN: Friday, May 31, 11am
WHERE: Consulate General of El Salvador in Chicago, 8605 W Bryn Mawr Ave STE310, Chicago, IL 60631

On June 1, the people of El Salvador will be subjected to an illegitimate regime led by President-elect Nayib Bukele, who intend to entrench themselves indefinitely as part of the oligarchy. The recent elections were unconstitutional and fraudulent, giving rise to an imposed, illegal, and illegitimate government. We urge you to speak up and stand with the people of El Salvador who REJECT AND REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE this new government.

As part of the international Human Rights community we have repeatedly expressed concerns about the authoritarian and repressive nature of Bukele’s government, which has become particularly urgent following his election into office through an unconstitutional election process.

Nayib Bukele and his legislative majority have undermined democratic checks and balances by allowing Bukele’s re-election against constitutional prohibitions, removing independent judicial figures, and weakening anti-corruption measures. This has raised significant concerns about the state of democracy in El Salvador.

This reality disproportionately impacts impoverished and marginalized communities hardest through repression and criminalization in the form of mass disappearances under the guise of a “state of emergency;” targeted political persecution; ruthless evictions and land dispossession; severe disinvestment in the education and agricultural sectors; relentless harassment of health care workers; massive, unlawful municipal layoffs; the deliberate defunding of educational institutions, notably the National University of El Salvador (UES);and escalating violence against women and LGBTI+ communities.

The 25-month state of emergency, initially adopted to combat gang violence, has led to widespread human rights abuses, including arbitrary detentions, overcrowded prisons, due process violations, and political prisoners. Over 73,000 people, including children and non-gang-related individuals, have been detained, with reports of harsh prison conditions and numerous deaths in custody.

As CRLN, we join in the efforts of the diaspora community of El Salvador in Chicago, Alma de Izote collective, Cipotex de Chicago collective, and especially the international call of action by the Bloque de Resistencia y Rebeldía Popular.

Therefore, the people of El Salvador in Chicago, along with community and human rights organizations, demand:

• Cease the abuse of the judicial apparatus for persecution against the political opposition and left-wing social and environmental movements.
• The end of the “state of emergency” and the immediate release of all people detained without evidence.
• The immediate release of all political prisoners who have been unjustly detained under Bukele’s regime.

We join the struggle of the people of El Salvador in their effort to reclaim their country and the democracy for which generations of Salvadorans fought and sacrificed their lives.

En resistencia y solidaridad permanente

Jhonathan F. Gómez

May 23, 2024

President Robert L. Manuel, Executive Vice President Sherri Sidler, Director of Public Safety Mike Dohm, Vice President for Student Affairs Eugene L. Zdziarski, DePaul University Administration,


We write on behalf of the Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN), an organization dedicated to Immigrant Rights and Latin American Human Rights, committed to dismantling structures of oppression and violence both domestically and internationally. Our mission compels us to challenge militaristic agendas, capitalism, imperialism, and white supremacy, standing in solidarity with marginalized communities in Latin America and the Immigrant Justice community in Chicago and across the United States.

CRLN has a decades-long history of collaboration with DePaul University, recognizing the Vincentian commitment to respecting human rights. As long-time partners in student education, we are deeply troubled by the University’s violent eviction of the peaceful student encampment on May 16, 2024. The students’ desire for dialogue, activism, and dissent should never be met with violence. The disproportionate nature of these actions not only undermines the principles of academic freedom and free expression but also contradicts the University’s professed commitment to social justice and human rights.

We unapologetically stand with the students and find it imperative to express that the violent acts of May 16 should never have happened. DePaul University’s decision to send riot police against its own students is an unspeakable offense against freedom of expression and the right to dissent. These actions have inflicted trauma on students, university staff, faculty, and the community, which the University must acknowledge and repair.

In 2023, CRLN was awarded the HumanitiesX fellowship, an honor we greatly appreciate. In collaboration with DePaul faculty, we developed a course for the 2024 academic year, where students connected historical events of the past to current movements and injustices impacting Central America, specifically in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Students interrogated the Western idea of democracy within the context of neoliberalism, highlighting how U.S. governments fund wars while promoting an imperialist version of democracy. The student encampment and activism in support of the people of Palestine embodied the challenge set out by HumanitiesX. Students are now critically examining how democracy functions in the United States amid rising global fascism and have experienced firsthand how their rights have been limited for holding dissenting opinions. This is not merely historical analysis; it is a lived experience of Democracy and Rights today.

On May 16, at 5:30 AM, riot police from the Chicago Police Department, following a complaint signed by DePaul President Rob Manuel against its own student body, violently raided, and dismantled the student solidarity encampment for Palestine. CPD officers tore through the encampment, throwing students’ personal belongings into garbage trucks paid for by the administration, violently arresting at least two students, pulling off the hijab of one, and injuring others. CPD prevented students from retrieving their belongings. The raid occurred just hours after Nakba Day commemorations. It is now clear that DePaul University’s administrators chose to call the Chicago Police Department on the student protest encampment following President Rob Manuel’s decision to cease negotiations with students.

Israel’s bombardment of Gaza began on October 7, 2023. Over 40,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed, including the destruction of hospitals, schools, and universities. The DePaul Divestment Coalition, a multiethnic, multifaith group of students, has been calling on DePaul University to divest from the killing of Palestinian civilians. The DePaul student encampment on April 30th was the longest-standing encampment in the country. This space cultivated political education sessions, dancing, singing, shared meals, community building, praying, discussions, debates, and unity until it was violently destroyed.

We are grateful and commend the courageous students who built the peaceful encampment as a protest against the genocide being committed with U.S. tax dollars against the people of Palestine. Their commitment to transparency and their advocacy for divestment from companies and institutions complicit in the Israeli occupation and apartheid regime is a lesson to us all. The students are on the right side of history, and we must listen to their call.

We echo the demands of the DePaul Divestment Coalition, supported by thousands of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members, which is committed to ensuring that DePaul University divests from entities involved in harm and violence abroad, and instead invests in the community.

In light of these urgent concerns, we urge the DePaul University administration to take immediate action by engaging in meaningful dialogue with students, disclosing its investment portfolio, and committing to divestment from complicit entities. It is imperative that the University uphold its principles of academic freedom, social justice, and human rights by respecting the rights of students to peacefully advocate for justice and equality. Dissent should not be punished. We call upon the administration to heed the demands of the students and take concrete steps towards creating a campus environment that fosters inclusivity, transparency, and a genuine engagement with social justice.


Silence is complicity. Silence will not absolve us.



Sincerely,

The Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America                      

May 9, 2024

President Paul Alivisatos, Dean Michelle Rasmussen, Vice President Erin Lane, University of Chicago Administration,


We write on behalf of the Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN), an Immigrant Rights and Latin America Human Rights organization committed to dismantling structures of oppression and violence, both domestically and abroad. Our mission drives us to challenge imperialistic, capitalist, and militaristic agendas, and to stand in solidarity with marginalized communities in Latin America as well as with the Immigrant community in the United States.

CRLN has a long history of collaboration with institutions like the University of Chicago in educating students and the public on the importance of respecting human rights. As neighbors in the Hyde Park neighborhood, we are deeply troubled by the University’s violent response to student activism and dissent. This disproportionate reaction not only undermines the principles of academic freedom and free expression but also contradicts the University’s professed commitment to social justice and human rights.

As an institution of higher learning, the University of Chicago bears a profound responsibility to safeguard the rights and freedoms of its diverse community, including students, staff, and faculty. Central to these rights is the freedom to express dissenting views without fear of reprisal or suppression.

We adamantly reject any attempts to vilify or stifle peaceful expressions of political dissent, particularly regarding the urgent issue of the Genocide against the people of Palestine. The University must recognize that criticism of oppressive state policies, such as those perpetuated by the Israeli government, is not only legitimate but also essential to fostering meaningful discourse and social progress.

Recent efforts to suppress student activism, both in Chicago and at other academic institutions across the country, only serve to exacerbate tensions and undermine the principles of academic freedom and democratic governance. We implore the University of Chicago to refrain from resorting to heavy-handed tactics such as deploying law enforcement to intimidate peaceful protests, which only escalate conflicts and endanger the safety of our community.

We unequivocally condemn the violent destruction of the peaceful student encampment in solidarity with the people of Palestine. Such actions not only infringe upon the fundamental rights of students to engage in peaceful protest but also perpetuate a culture of repression, silence and intimidation on campus. It is imperative that the University administration recognizes the importance of respecting the rights of students to express solidarity with marginalized communities without fear of reprisal or violence.

Moreover, we echo the demands put forth by students advocating for divestment from companies and institutions complicit in the Israeli occupation and apartheid regime. It is unconscionable for the University to continue profiting from investments in weapons manufacturers that fuel violence and human rights abuses against the Palestinian people. We call upon the University to immediately divest from such entities and to disclose its investment portfolio in the interest of transparency and accountability.

Furthermore, we stand in solidarity with the students who have bravely and peacefully occupied space in the form of an encampment to protest against injustice. Their steadfast commitment to solidarity with the people of Palestine must be respected, not met with intimidation or violence. We condemn any actions taken by the University to suppress dissent and join in the call for meaningful dialogue and engagement with the students.

In light of these concerns, we urge the University of Chicago administration to take immediate action by engaging in meaningful dialogue with students, disclosing its investment portfolio, and committing to divestment from complicit entities. It is imperative that the University uphold its principles of academic freedom, social justice, and human rights by respecting the rights of students to peacefully advocate for justice and equality. We call upon the administration to heed the demands of the students and take concrete steps towards creating a campus environment that fosters inclusivity, transparency, and genuine engagement with social justice issues.


Sincerely,

The Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

Conversation with Human Rights
Defender from Honduras,
Nelly del Cid

CRN friends,

We are glad to extend an invitation for you to join us for a compelling conversation with Nelly del Cid, a distinguished Human Rights Defender from Honduras. The event will take place on Thursday, May 2, at 6 pm at Inga Bookstore in Pilsen.

Nelly del Cid, also known as Carmen Manuela Del Cid Mata, is an admired figure in the feminist movement in Honduras. Her unwavering dedication to defending the rights of women has earned her recognition as the “Butterfly of the Year” by women’s organizations in Honduras in 2014.

As a Mercy lay associate and the coordinator of the Mercy’s Dream Weavers ministry in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Nelly provides crucial emotional and spiritual support to women human rights defenders across the country. Her leadership extends to the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Institute’s International Justice Team.

Nelly is a founding member of the Women’s Forum for Life, a network of 16 women’s organizations, including the Sisters of Mercy. Through this network, she has been instrumental in bringing attention to extreme violence against women and femicide.

In addition to her advocacy work, Nelly is trained as a Nonviolence Promoter through the Quakers’ Alternatives to Violence program. She has conducted nonviolence trainings in Honduran prisons and communities grappling with high levels of violence.

We are honored to partner with the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Chicago Justice Committee and La Voz de los de Abajo for this event. It promises to be an enlightening discussion covering topics such as women’s rights, nonviolence, migration, and the challenges facing the people of Honduras.

We hope you will join us for what is sure to be an inspiring evening. Your presence and support are invaluable as we come together to learn from Nelly del Cid’s experiences and insights.


En resistencia y solidaridad permanente

Jhonathan F. Gómez