April 21, 2026, New York
Statement presented at the 25th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Chin tihoxhli teyet heyamanil, mamin miyay, oxhimi k’ulnhe heyehi. Honorable Madam President, State Representatives. Sisters and brothers. I greet you—I am Margarita Diaz, a Maya Popti’ woman from Guatemala—speaking on behalf of the Wuxhtaj Council and the Council of the Maya Peoples (CPO).
Guatemala, like other peoples of the world, still suffers the consequences of colonization and the impact of the current capitalist system, which has brought about genocide, destruction, dispossession, and the subjugation of our peoples.
Here in the 21st century, in my country, 49% of children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition—a statistic that places us sixth in the world. To speak of health in Guatemala is to speak of a structural crisis rooted in racism, historical exclusion, and the systematic violation of human rights.
The health of our peoples is compromised when our territories are invaded by extractive projects that pollute and destroy them; when our ancestral authorities are criminalized; and when the act of defending Mother Earth is punished as a crime.
The imposition of extractive projects—without consultation or free, prior, and informed consent—has created conflict-ridden scenarios within our territories. This not only violates our rights but also undermines our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Fear, violence, the fracturing of the social fabric, and the destruction of our natural commons are, in themselves, forms of illness.
In light of this reality, the Council of the Maya People (CPO) demands:
- That the State of Guatemala immediately cease the criminalization of all human rights defenders who are fighting for the dignity and rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- No more persecution against Ermitaño López and Rigoberto Juárez—individuals who have raised their voices and defended their territory in resistance to hydroelectric projects in northern Huehuetenango.
- We demand the release of Hector Chaclan and Luis Pacheco—who have been imprisoned for a year now—and who stand accused of terrorism simply for defending the country's democracy. Respect for and recognition of our own healthcare systems, within the framework of our right to self-determination; and
- The recognition of a plurinational State to ensure the "Buen Vivir" (Good Living) of the Peoples.
We urge the international community to take action to guarantee the full enjoyment of human rights—including equitable, timely, and culturally appropriate access to physical and mental healthcare—and to address the profound inequalities affecting the peoples.
Self-determination is the inalienable right of Indigenous Peoples; defending and exercising it protects the health of Mother Earth and, with it, our own. Respect and unity in diversity constitute our present and serve as the foundation for our future.
Thank you!
