Location
The Maya Ch’orti’ Council of Ancestral Indigenous Communities of San Juan Ermita carries out its work in the municipality of San Juan Ermita, located in the department of Chiquimula. The Council represents seven communities – Minas Abajo, Tasharjá Centro, Tasharjá Arriba, El Magueyal, San Antonio Lajas, Vivienda Nueva, and Los Planes – although its work extends throughout the entire municipality.
Area of work and rights defended
The Council’s work focuses on three key areas: regaining title to their ancestral lands, gaining recognition as a community and an indigenous authority by state institutions, and protecting against illegal logging in the region. Its main goal is for younger generations to learn about and carry on the practices of protecting their rights and defending their territory.
After years of hard work and perseverance, they were recognized as an indigenous community by the Chiquimula Departmental Government on May 6, 2026.
Case description
Council members have been subjected to threats for protecting their lands and defending their territory. They have also faced discrimination in government and civil society settings because they represent indigenous communities. This situation not only affects their struggle to recover their lands but also jeopardizes their right to prior consultation on future decisions that affect the community and its territory, especially those related to extractive projects currently underway in the area.
In August 2026, PBI began accompanying the Council. The Council works in close coordination with two other organizations that PBI also accompanies: the Maya Ch’orti’ Indigenous Council of Olopa, Chiquimula, and the Indigenous Community of San Francisco Quezaltepeque.