Since October, dozens of social leaders have been shot and eight killed in the struggle between Spanish-based oil and gas multinational Union Fenosa and communities in the west of the country.
On October 24, Victor Galvez was shot 32 times as he left his office, where he was meeting with neighbours whose electricity supply had been cut off by one of Union Fenosa鈥檚 subsidiaries.
Opposition to Union Fenosa began with the privatisation of electricity supply in 1999, with the multinational as the main beneficiary.
On July 8, 2009, a letter from 30 organisations, social movements, unions and Spanish political parties denounced the multinational鈥檚 practices in Guatemala.
The document highlighted 鈥渋nflated charges鈥 and 鈥渃uts to electricity supply in retaliation against those communities that protested the high rates and poor quality of the service鈥.
Several communities organised a boycott on paying the inflated prices. They demanded the the nationalisation of the energy sector.
Union Fenosa cut off their electricity supply on December 15.
The National Front of Struggle for the Defense of Public Services and Natural Resources (FNL) said: 鈥淎fter a week without power, the communities were left without water or sanitation and seriously exposed to the risk of infectious diseases.鈥
In response, the communities blockaded the roads connecting Guatemala and Mexico. On December 22, President Alvaro Colom declared a state of emergency in the province of San Marcos.
Still in force, it suspended most civil liberties. The provision for a state of emergency, intended to last 15 days, has now been extended six times.
鈥淥f the eight popular leaders who have been assassinated, seven died under the legal framework of the state of emergency鈥, said FNL official Roberto Madriz. 鈥淭he people cannot unite to make themselves heard because it is a crime for more than three people to meet together.
鈥淗itmen from the cocaine cartels are holding villages to ransom, telling them: 鈥楶ay us or be killed鈥.
鈥淭he day after the state of emergency was decreed, Union Fenosa opened its offices in the same building from which the region鈥檚 cocaine don operates 鈥 This was intended to send a clear message to the people.鈥
UDEFE-GUA, a human rights organisation, said the state of emergency can only be understood 鈥渁s a means for the state to resolve the electricity supply 鈥榩roblem鈥 in the province and to allow 鈥 Union Fenosa to maintain control of its business鈥.
On January 13, anti-Union Fenosa activist Evelinda Ramirez was killed when her car was fired on from a truck with tinted windows. She was killed, two of her companions were wounded, while a fourth passenger is missing, presumed dead.
On January 29, Council Workers鈥 Union leader Pedro Garcia, who campaigned for energy nationalisation, was assassinated.
A similar end awaited Octavio Roblero, a leader in of the struggle in San Marcos to nationalise the energy sector and expel Union Fenosa. On 17 February, he was machine-gunned from a passing car.
On March 21, three community leaders in Ocos fighting for free access to drinking water and Union Fenosa鈥檚 expulsion were 鈥渟avagely murdered with bullets and machetes鈥, a joint statement by FNL, Agrarian Platform and the Mexican NGO Ceiba said.
On March 22, in the town of Las Brisas, energy nationalisation activist Santiago Gamboa was killed. That morning, 10 Union Fenosa employees were sent to disconnect the town鈥檚 electricity but community members captured them.
The government sent 250 soldiers in order to 鈥渞escue those kidnapped by a mob鈥. The soldiers opened fire, killing Gamboa.
[Abridged from El Diagonal. Translated by Christian Tym]