Government officials want to keep our people in complete darkness and ignorance. What community leaders do is bring information to our communities about what is happening. That is how our people are becoming empowered and demanding their rights. When the people demand their rights, then we can get somewhere because this is their means to advance, to have the people become empowered and demand what they are entitled to.
In Guatemala what interests us, and that is how we will move forward, is education and health care. But what has happened? The member was saying that schools and roads have been created by mining companies. This is true, but I would ask those mining companies if it's up to them to set up schools. Isn't it up to the government to do that? The government is responsible for education but hasn't invested in it, and that is what we demand as well.
In Guatemala, if people get sick, for anyone who does not have the economic resources to get health care, their only option is to die. If you go to the hospital, there is no medication there for you. Community leaders demand those rights among others, and that is why we are persecuted. That's why many of us have been eliminated because the government does not want our people to progress through education.
That is what I have to say.
Thank you very much.